Odom Is Willing to Take Blame

It doesn’t take much for Lamar Odom to start pointing fingers -- at himself.

Odom was rehashing the one-night plight of the Lakers -- Utah 104, Lakers 78 -- when he pulled the conversation away from a team perspective.

The pivotal player of the trio acquired in the Shaquille O’Neal trade, Odom has averaged 9.5 points and made five of 18 shots in the Lakers’ first two games. The numbers practically mirrored a sluggish exhibition season, during which he averaged 9.3 points and shot 32.4%.

“I’m not playing to the level of my ability where I should be,” Odom said. “Offensively, I think that’s why we’re probably a little stagnant.”

Odom wasn’t the only one who was dissatisfied with his own play.

Brian Grant, an 11-year veteran who was also acquired in the O’Neal deal, has scored three points and taken three rebounds in two games.

“In rebounding, I’ve got to get better,” he said. “I’ve got to find some kind of overall game rhythm out there. Get rebounds, set picks, something.”

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Kobe Bryant might be ready to call the Laker-Spur rivalry extinct, but the Spurs aren’t so sure.

“They’ll have a lot of pride,” Coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. “Kobe wants that team to stay in the thick of things, and he’s going to do everything he can to pull that team along. He has the ability to do it. Even though Shaq’s not there, they’re still going to be a team that has to be dealt with.”

Tim Duncan said he was impressed by Bryant’s 25-point, seven-assist effort in a season-opening victory over Denver.

“I guess he understands what it’s going to take to win,” Duncan said. “He’s not going to be able to do it all season [by himself]. There’s going to be nights he’s going to be able to do that, but if he wants to win consistently he’s going to have to do it with his teammates. It looks like he is willing to do that.”

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TONIGHT

vs. San Antonio, 7:30, FSNW

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KLAC (570); KWKW (1130).

Records -- Lakers 1-1, Spurs 1-0.

Record vs. Spurs (2003-04) -- 3-1.

Update -- Point guard Tony Parker signed a six-year, $66-million contract extension Monday, giving the Spurs a backcourt presence to match Duncan’s post play for years to come. Duncan started the season with a 30-point, 14-rebound effort in a 101-85 victory over Sacramento. Manu Ginobili, who led Argentina to an Olympic gold medal in Athens, had 24 points. Ginobili signed a six-year, $52-million contract in July to remain with the Spurs.