If there has been one asterisk affixed to the Lakers’ blazing 14-1 start, it’s that just four of those games have come away from the comforts of the Staples Center.
That’s what passes for angst in what’s has become one of the breeziest starts in Lakers history.
But like most issues that have come up for what used to be one of the NBA’s most dramatically-bent teams, this one should come to a quick resolution, or solution, as the Lakers leave town for a three-game road trip with stops in Indiana (tonight), Philadelphia on Wednesday and Washington on Friday.
“An outsider might say they had all their games at home, but we say we’re taking care of business at home,” Lakers forward Lamar Odom said. “(Going on the road) won’t be different for us. We’ll come out and do the same thing, try and play a defensive game at first, make teams uncomfortable and try to wear them down.”
Last week, Lakers owner Jerry Buss suggested that the true measure of this year’s team would come when it plays the best teams in the Eastern Conference on the road.
These next three teams don’t exactly fit the criteria. Coming into tonight’s game, the Pacers, Sixers and Wizards were a combined 15-32.
Nevertheless, Lakers coach Phil Jackson warned about being overconfident.
“The tempo of the game changes (on the road),” Jackson said. “There is more control and we have to be more concerned about things. We have to be more concerned about controlling
the game with fewer turnovers, less fouls and for less opportunities for our opponents to win.”Last season, the Lakers tied Orlando with the second-best road record in the league (27-14). Boston (31-10) had the best road mark.
“We were a pretty good road team last year,” Kobe Bryant said. “We feel pretty confident about going into other teams arenas and winning games. We just focused on doing what we have to do.”
Who says it’s a contract year?: Odom is averaging a career-low 7.5 field goal attempts this year in a career-low 25 minutes a game in his new role as the Lakers’ sixth man. But after taking just three shots in 29 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Raptors, Odom said that was less about playing time and more about the way the Lakers have been sharing the ball this season.
“The game is called basketball, not shoot,” he said. “You can play a complete basketball game without shooting a lot of shots. There aren’t too many guys that can do it, I just happen to be one of them.”
Odom finished with three points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals in Sunday’s game.
Fisher weighs in on Marbury mess: As president of the NBA Players Association Derek Fisher has been keeping an eye on the growing debacle swirling around the Knicks and embattled guard Stephon Marbury.
The two parties met in New York on Monday to try and discuss a resolution to the quickly degenerating situation.
The Knicks had deactivated Marbury in the early part of the season, but required him to attend all team activities. Late last week the team suspended him without pay for one game for refusing to play in two games earlier in the week. Marbury disputes that allegation.
Now he’s being told to just stay away from the team indefinitely.
“It’s just a bad situation. It’s a no-win situation,” Fisher said. “I think the main thing is just that teams don’t take advantage of the employee-employer relationship, that they don’t try to pile on with fines and suspensions.
“I think the best thing for all sides is for there to be some resolution. What exactly that is, I won’t know that until I’m briefed on how the meetings go. But I think that’s the best thing for all parties involved.
“They’ve got to figure something out so everyone can move on.”