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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SUNS v LAKERS


May 26, 2010


Andrew Bynum

Dave Odom


LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day

Q. How would you describe what you guys are struggling with defensively?
ANDREW BYNUM: They're spacing us out. We really need to switch up more things and just try to make them beat us one-on-one. As of right now, they're having everything. They're collapsing our defense and picking it up.

Q. How's the knee doing?
ANDREW BYNUM: The knee's doing okay.

Q. Does it feel like it's getting stronger?
ANDREW BYNUM: It's about the same since the Playoffs started. I think it will remain the same until I get it fixed.

Q. Are there any sort of spacing questions from you guys out there? Couple times you showed the wrong screen?
ANDREW BYNUM: Yeah, that's what I'm saying. No, what's happening is one time we'll show the five man will get it, and the next time we'll be a little bit more hesitant, and they'll collapse the defense and with penetration. So we've got to be more definitive on what we want to do. I think switching will help us out a lot more.

Q. Is that a communication issue?
ANDREW BYNUM: It just is -- we don't know what it is. We can't fix it, so I think like I said, switching is what's going to help us.

Q. How would you describe the mindset of the team? Are you guys angry, disappointed? What would you say describes the mindset?
ANDREW BYNUM: Right now we know we have to protect home court, so we're going to do that. That is the mindset.

Q. What do you think they've been doing that's been making it more difficult for you guys on defense?
ANDREW BYNUM: In the zone. I mean, the zone, they're playing it a lot more. We need to be more effective against it.

Q. What's that do for you, your offense? How does that change how you operate when they go into the zone?
ANDREW BYNUM: For me personally you mean? Really it's the extra spacing. It's just catching the ball on the block or the paint. They've got to move around, and it's all about timing when it's into the zone. Knowing when to punch in when it's up high, things like that.

Q. Would moving off when they're in the zone help more?
ANDREW BYNUM: That's the time we can't be running around in circles like we're doing right now.

Q. So it feels like right now you guys are moving off the ball, but just ineffectively?
ANDREW BYNUM: Yeah, exactly. Attack the zone with a concept.

Q. Are you frustrated?
LAMAR ODOM: No, they played well enough to win. We haven't, so we've just got to regroup, focus and the game is here tomorrow. Hopefully, we'll come out with some extra energy and find out how to take some things away from them.

Q. Everybody's been talking about defense has been the problem for the Lakers the last couple of games. Is it a matter of effort or is it a matter of knowledge?
LAMAR ODOM: I think it's a matter of us making a game plan and kind of sticking to it, even when they're hitting shots. Always say sometimes when teams start to hit shots on us, we turn into selfish defenders and just kind of stick to our man. And I guess this team has so much pick-and-roll, and so much deep-side action, and so many pin downs that they run, we have to play good team defense. And if we do that, we should be okay.

Q. Do you tend to rely on the confidence of having home court as opposed to just going out and shooting it?
LAMAR ODOM: I think it depends on the series and the way the games are going. I think these are the battles that you face when trying to compete. Teams are going to come out and play their best. Everyone wants to be champions.
This is what we have to go through. This is the route, you know, that we've taken. These teams have played well at home. We need to just come out and defend our home court.

Q. I know you don't talk a lot about pressure. But is there a sense of urgency more so on the Lakers or on Phoenix for Game 5?
LAMAR ODOM: I'm not sure, but I would think because we've won a championship, what do they have to lose? We have to understand that that's the way they feel. And that's the way every team feels playing against us right now.

Q. You haven't lost on your home court in the Playoffs. There is a fine line between confidence and pressure there, isn't there?
LAMAR ODOM: I think all the games right now have a sense of pressure, a sense of urgency. This is the Playoffs. No matter where you're playing, whether you're playing in somebody's backyard, a parking lot, this is the Playoffs.

Q. I was wondering what can you guys do tomorrow to bridge the gap that was pretty evident last night in scoring?
LAMAR ODOM: We have to take away things defensively. I think all their guys shot maybe 50% from the field on their bench. And I'm trying to remember. I know Amundson was 3 for 3, couple of guys were 3 for 6, 6 for 8. We have to make those guys work for shots and take them out of the game, and we have to do it without defense.

Q. Were their shots different than what they were in the first three games?
LAMAR ODOM: No, no, we're doing the same thing. Stoudemire, catching Stoudemire on the row, wearing out the side and he missed in the last game here.

Q. Do you see Phoenix as a different team right now because of the confidence they've picked up in the last two games as opposed to when they left L.A. the first time?
LAMAR ODOM: Of course. But, you know, hopefully we can just come out and stick to our game plan defensively.

End of FastScripts




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