Odom still an enigma despite his fast start

Lamar Odom raced out of the box, turning back a tumultuous off-season with gaudy averages of 28 points, 8.7 rebounds and seven assists in the Lakers’ first three games.

Then came games four, five and six, and the end of the whispers that this might be the year Odom finally approaches All-Star status. It might be only temporary, but he has again dropped to distant second-gun status behind Kobe Bryant.

Odom has fallen to 12.3 points, seven rebounds and 3.7 assists over the Lakers’ last three games, two of which were losses. More telling, his shot count has fallen from 16.7 a game in the first three games to 9.3 in the last three.

Coach Phil Jackson has already told Odom to stop passing up shots since the return of Bryant, who has played four games.

Jackson defended Odom’s last line -- 11 points on five-for-nine shooting Wednesday against Portland -- by saying the team ran numerous second-half sets for Bryant and Luke Walton to take advantage of mismatches.

But Odom gets it: His aggressiveness needs to increase.

“Try to catch the ball closer to the basket, not rely on the three,” he said. “Get back to the free-throw line. I haven’t been to the free-throw line the last couple of games. I just need to concentrate on driving the ball a little bit more.”

Jackson did criticize Odom and Bryant for being turnover-prone after they each had six against Portland.

“I’ve laid the blame at the feet of Kobe and Lamar,” Jackson said. “They’ve got to start cutting down on trying to do too much and not [being] ready to do it, or defenses identifying them and they’re not responding to the fact that they’ve got to make the plays earlier or quicker.”

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The Lakers begin an unparalleled stretch of playing 13 of their next 14 games at Staples Center, including a road game against the Clippers. They leave Los Angeles for one game between now and Dec. 12.

“It’s big for us,” Bryant said. “Being that we’re here at home, it gives us a chance to build some rhythm, and then later in December and February, we’ll go out on the road and be ready.”

Bryant will also be getting some rest. After Sunday’s game against Memphis, the Lakers have four non-game days before playing Toronto next Friday.

“It’s perfect for us because it gives me a chance to get stronger,” Bryant said. “This last week or so, I’ve been kind of maintaining, getting through it. You have four days off, I can just strengthen it again. That should help us out a lot.”

Bryant had his first notable game of the season Wednesday, scoring 32 points on 12-for-19 shooting.

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Center Kwame Brown will play tonight against Detroit after sitting out three weeks because of a bruised rotator cuff and bursitis in his right shoulder.

The shoulder stills feels “fatigued” when he tries to hold players off in the post, but Brown said he feared something else.

“It’s a little sore.... I’m going to have to deal with it all year. My free throws are going to be terrible though, as if they weren’t already,” he said.

Brown shot a career-low 54.5% from the free-throw line last season.

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Jackson was asked by friends a few years ago to run for senator in Montana, but said Thursday he would never have a political future. “I don’t think that will ever happen,” he said. “Not interested.” ... Center Chris Mihm saw an ankle specialist Thursday in Baltimore and will see another one today, also in Baltimore.

TONIGHT

vs. Detroit, 7:30, FSN West, ESPN

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570; 1330.

Records -- Lakers 4-2; Pistons 2-3.

Record vs. Pistons (2005-06) -- 1-1.

Update -- The Pistons are off to a slow start, unable to find consistent scoring beyond guards Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton. Forward Rasheed Wallace went scoreless in 36 minutes Wednesday against Sacramento, missing nine shots. Lakers forward Maurice Evans was acquired in a draft-day deal after his agent asked Detroit for a trade because of a dip in Evans’ playing time in the playoffs.

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com