Butler Bright Spot During Skid

Amid the losses, the slipshod defense and the turnovers that have defined the Lakers, Caron Butler has been relatively stable, one of the few parts in the Laker machine that actually has improved down the stretch.

Butler, in his third season, has averaged 20.1 points in the last eight games and flourished in the absence of Lamar Odom.

The Lakers haven’t fared as well during Butler’s renaissance, losing 11 of 12, and Butler’s defense still needs work, but he has eliminated a hitch in his jump shot that caused him to misfire often from the outside for most of the season.

Butler used to hesitate with the ball briefly above his midsection before deciding to go up for a shot, but his shooting movement has become more fluid.

“He’s been more aggressive to score, I think his shot selection’s gotten better and also ... he’s gotten rid of that hitch to some degree and just gone up and shot the ball,” Coach Frank Hamblen said.

Butler had 21 steals from March 18 until Sunday, the most in the Western Conference, according to Stats Inc., a credible feat when considering the Laker defense is flirting with the league record for fewest steals in a season.

“Just trying to be more aggressive, just trying to be an extra spark,” Butler said. “Kobe [Bryant] has been doing well at being an extra spark, [and I’m] just trying to take a little pressure off of him, trying to help him out.”

Butler was the Lakers’ leading scorer Sunday for the third time in six games, scoring 18 points against Memphis.

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Odom was put on the injured list Sunday because of a strained left shoulder, all but ending his season.

Odom will sit out at least the next five games and could return for any of the Lakers’ last five games but, as Hamblen said, “I wouldn’t expect him.”

Odom, the Lakers’ top rebounder and second-leading scorer, said last week he would wait until he was healthy rather than return too early and risk aggravating the injury.

Odom, averaging 15.2 points and 10.2 rebounds, initially hurt his shoulder March 18 against the Indiana Pacers. He will have missed 12 games by the time he is eligible to come off the injured list.

Forward Brian Cook, who sat out five games because of a sprained right hand, was activated Sunday. He had seven points before fouling out against Memphis.

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Hamblen on center Chris Mihm, who did not play because of a sprained right ankle: “He’s like all of us, day to day.”

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The Lakers have lost eight consecutive road games.