Early look at Bynum-less Lakers a bit troubling

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LOS ANGELES -- Accept that the hands of Kwame Brown are where Los Angeles Lakers possessions go to die. Understand that any offensive contribution he makes is usually going to be accompanied by a fair amount of anguish on the part of Lakers fans as he bobbles passes and misses 5-footers.That recognition will free you to recognize the real reason the Lakers are going to struggle during this long intermission in the Andrew Bynum March To Stardom.They're back to expecting Lamar Odom to be a featured part of the offense.As Thursday's 106-98 loss to Phoenix showed -- again -- that's not an expectation that's likely to be satisfied.In the first three seasons after Odom arrived from Miami in the Shaquille O'Neal trade, there was a never-ending expectation Odom would be the second part of the one-two threat that would make it possible for the team to do more than rise and fall on each night's effort by Kobe Bryant.With Bynum's emergence this year, that talk was gone.Odom actually came into Thursday's game as the team's No. 2 scorer -- at 13.3 points per game, he was two-tenths of a point ahead of Bynum -- but with Bynum's role growing, it seemed likely he was about to be passed by the 20-year-old.More to the point, no one was really talking about what Odom should or must do. With the focus on Bryant and Bynum, Odom was free to fill the role in which he seems most comfortable -- a complementary player, more than happy to defer to others and create opportunities for them, and accept whatever offense happens his way.The minute Bynum fell to the floor, clutching his left kneecap, in Sunday's game with Memphis, all of that changed.Phil Jackson started talking about needing more from Odom."I'm still not pleased with the involvement of Lamar," he said. "I think Lamar's got to figure a little Odom himself spoke of a need to change."I'm probably going to have to shoot the ball," he said, "be a little bit more aggressive on offense, pick up that scoring."Two games into this return to the spotlight, this renewed need to be not The Man, but at least his faithful sidekick, here's what we've seen.Monday in Seattle, while Bryant was pumping up 44 shots (and scoring 48 points), Odom was 3 of 15 from the field and scored six points."Lamar tried the other night," said Jackson, "but it wasn't his night."Thursday, Odom was more productive -- how could he not be? -- with 19 points (on still-ugly 7-of-20 shooting) and 19 rebounds. The numbers, in this case, don't quite tell the tale; out on the court, there was still little evidence Odom is ready, willing or able to shoulder a greater burden.Consider, for example, the stretch in the second quarter when Kobe Bryant took his usual first-half breather.In not quite three minutes, with Odom, Ronny Turiaf, Jordan Farmar, Trevor Ariza and Javaris Crittenton on the floor, the Lakers took nine shots. If ever there was a moment when Odom needed to assert himself, it was this one.And yet, he had two of those shots, one a putback, and missed both. Turiaf had more shots (three). Crittenton had as many.Of course, when Bryant came back on the floor, Odom had his most impressive burst -- six points in less than a minute. In part, it was as if Bryant had come back into the game trying to get Odom involved. In part, it was as Odom felt the weight of expectations lifted.In a nutshell, the second quarter summed up Odom. He's tremendously talented -- you can't enter your ninth season averaging 15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds without talent -- but frustratingly enigmatic. People are likely to still be talking about Odom's potential the day he retires.There was one more second-quarter moment which pointed out the folly of expecting Odom to suddenly an assertive offensive force. Late in the period, Odom found himself with the ball in a 2-on-1 situation at the right block, with a chance to shoot no more than a 3-footer. Instead, he passed around the defender to Brown, who converted the layup.It certainly wasn't a bad play, but it was a telling one. A guy with a scorer's mentality, which requires at least a bit of selfishness, would have taken the shot. Odom -- who, it should be noted, is one of the truly nice guys in the NBA -- doesn't have that in his nature.It's hard to condemn him for that -- but it's foolish to expect him to change now.The Lakers may yet find a way to survive eight weeks without Bynum, but expecting Odom to step up and make it happen is an invitation to nothing more than frustration.(Contact Star David Lassen at dlassen@Venturacountystar.com.)(David Lassen writes for the Ventura County Star in California at www.venturacountystar.com.)