Odom’s Smooth Trip Back Interrupted by a Bruising Fall

It didn’t take long for Lamar Odom to become the Clippers’ leading scorer, only eight games, in fact, for him to reach an 18.8-point average after sitting out 11 months because of wrist and ankle injuries.

Odom had 17 points on eight-for-14 shooting, seven rebounds and three assists in 42 minutes Sunday afternoon against the Dallas Mavericks.

He ended a streak of five consecutive games with 20 or more points.

A crowd of 18,216 gasped when Odom fell on his back after making a layup in the second quarter.

He sat out the final 3:19 of the half, but returned without missing a beat in the second half. He was said to have a bruised lower back.

“I had no feeling,” he said. “Now I know what those football players go through when they can’t move.”

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Coach Alvin Gentry has said all along that it will take time for the Clippers to jell. He believes it’s finally starting to happen, although it’s not yet reflected in the team’s 14-23 record or its last-place standing in the Pacific Division.

“We’re starting to know each other better,” he said. “It’s important for everybody to understand that Lamar has only been back for six games or five games or whatever it’s been [actually, it’s eight].

“Andre Miller wasn’t with us last year, so he doesn’t know Lamar or Elton [Brand]. But we’re not going to use it as an excuse. I still say we’re going to get better. I still say we’re going to make a run.”

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With Eric Piatkowski, Marko Jaric and Quentin Richardson, the Clippers’ best perimeter shooters, sidelined by injuries, center Michael Olowokandi continues to face double- and triple-teaming defenses.

“It’s very frustrating,” he said. “I would like to be working one-on-one.”

Olowokandi heard only a smattering of boos when he was introduced before Sunday’s game.

He was booed throughout Wednesday’s victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, then said, in effect, that was OK because he is as good as gone at season’s end, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.