Bad, Then Worse for Odom

INDIANAPOLIS — Hours before Lamar Odom sustained a strained left shoulder, there were other pressures facing the Laker forward.

Laker Coach Frank Hamblen, who has gently prodded Odom the last couple of weeks, took a stronger try Friday, imploring Odom to shoot more often and, well, more wisely. Hamblen, knowing which way a pregame conversation was heading with the media, finished a reporter’s sentence halfway through a question about Odom’s shot selection.

“You mean like launching those three-pointers?” Hamblen said. “I’d like to see him find himself in closer and I’d also like to see him explore a little more.”

Explore?

“He’s a great attack guy,” Hamblen said. “I don’t want any of our guys settling unless it’s a known good three-point shooter.

“I have no fault with Lamar at all. Matter of fact, I’d like for him to shoot the ball more. I’d like to see him shoot it more within his area where he’s more successful -- off penetration, off cutting and slicing, and getting the ball back. I’d like to see him get 15, 17 shots a night.”

Odom might not be cutting, slicing or shooting for a while.

He didn’t remember a specific play where he hurt his shoulder during Friday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, but it was throbbing at halftime and he left for good with 9:59 left in the third quarter. Team officials said he would be out indefinitely, with an MRI exam to be done today or Sunday.

Although the statistics might show otherwise, Hamblen dismissed the notion that Kobe Bryant and Odom have trouble playing together.

“It shouldn’t be now at this point of the season,” he said. “Lamar’s a 17-, 18-, 19-point guy a night [last season]. I want him to score those numbers. I don’t want him deferring to anybody.”

Odom averaged 17.1 points last season with Miami. He is averaging 15.2 points this season.

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Bryant insisted his rift with Shaquille O’Neal was blown out of proportion, but seeds were planted for a new one with Dwyane Wade after Bryant told him to “stop crying” as the teams went to the locker room for halftime of Thursday’s 102-89 Laker loss to the Heat.

Bryant was referring to Wade’s continual pleading with referees in the first half. Wade didn’t like it.

“I told him that I wasn’t talking to him, for one,” Wade said. “And for two, I pretty much told him a lot of stuff. I don’t want to get into it.”

Bryant smiled slightly when asked if he felt the words were heated.

“No, not really,” he said. “That’s child’s play.”