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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SUNS v LAKERS

May 17, 2010

Lamar Odom

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Game One

Los Angeles Lakers Â– 128
Phoenix Suns - 107

Q. Lamar, with Drew obviously not quite himself tonight and for the last few games, do you feel that much more of an onus on you to get out there and get the team going as a sixth man?
LAMAR ODOM: I had a pretty rough first two series offensively, and I just spent some time in the gym. I knew my opportunity would come, especially with them always sagging on Drew, always sagging on Pau and Kobe, as well. So I just tried to be more efficient, you know, where I shoot the ball from and how I get my shot and rebound the ball as much as possible.

Q. The Suns play sort of an open style. That seems to suit your game. Before Pau got here when you went up against the Suns back to back years, you were a pretty big part of that team. Is this just the right series for you right now, the right team, the way they play?
LAMAR ODOM: Match-ups on Pau are important. I feel like because of my ability I can match up basically with anybody. But, you know, the game is up and down. Of course, sometimes you're going to get your numbers when a game is like that.

Q. You called out the bench in the Utah series. You needed to maintain leads. Before this series we were all talking about Phoenix's bench and how productive they are. Was that a point leading into this game last week?
LAMAR ODOM: Take it as a challenge to perform at a high level and to help the team out. We're aware of that. We're aware that next game they're going to shoot the ball a lot better, and we're going to have to continue to make plays, especially on the defensive end.

Q. You came out quicker tonight, I think. There were times when you were aggressive, but tonight you were aggressive maybe a little faster than you sometimes are. What was going on?
LAMAR ODOM: I didn't really want to wait. I said to myself, if I'm going to have a bad game, I'm going to have a bad game going out swinging. I'm not going to wait for the game to come to me tonight. I'm going to try to attack, and if a jump shot is there, I'm going to take it.

Q. The talk this week with the layoff, they were talking about Phoenix's speed and how you guys were going to have a problem with Phoenix's speed. What did you do to help neutralize Nash and the other components?
LAMAR ODOM: We're a pretty quick team, even when we go big. I think we have the personnel that we can match up with basically any team in the league. After we come out of pick-and-roll, we just try to get back to the basket, try to contest the three-point shooters, and if you offensive rebound, you can slow them down just a little bit, and I think we did that tonight.

Q. Was there any concern after Kobe had sat out a week of practice what he could do tonight --
LAMAR ODOM: No. He got 40 after sitting out. You understand that he can go on those spurts. He's the best scorer in the league. You've got guys -- fadeaways and of course gets out on the break and plays with his back to the basket, inside, outside, shoots the ball with his left hand when his right hand is broke. Time off was exactly what he needed.

Q. Playoff career high, 19 boards, career high on the offensive boards. How did you redevelop that hunger so quickly after the layoff to rediscover the way so quickly?
LAMAR ODOM: It was always there. You know, we're playing to get back to the championship for the third time. We have a lot of pride in that, and we're a pretty focused group. The layoff was exactly what we needed. We've got some guys that are beat up, as well as myself, so it's exactly what we needed.

Q. So follow up on that a little bit, we talked a lot about Bynum and Bryant's needs this past week. You were pretty beat up going into the regular season the first two rounds. Did this do something for you physically, having these six days?
LAMAR ODOM: It was perfect. I got a lot of treatment, got to work on my shot and my individual game, and it was exactly what I needed.

Q. Is the knot from the play with Dragic --
LAMAR ODOM: No. He caught me in the eye. It was towards the end of the game. Amundson caught me a little bit and gave me a nice little goodbye knot. But I'll be all right with a little ice.

Q. Can you talk about the way the bench played tonight?
LAMAR ODOM: Focused I think was the most important. I think defensively we had to play well tonight, and we did that. We took them out of their offense, and we have to expect for them to come out really firing, really on. They missed a lot of shots that they normally make, and I'm pretty sure the next game they'll make them, and we have to be prepared to take their best punch, and we will be.

End of FastScripts

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