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I've said it many times. In a season in which consistency has been as rare as a four-leaf clover discovered on top of a copy of Superman No. 1, there's been one solid trend for the Lakers. Opponents regarded with contempt on a personal level receive their best efforts, as evidenced by a 3-0 clip against the defending champs. The players on hand, whether Derek Fisher, Ramon Sessions, Brendan Haywood or Delonte West, have changed, but the Lakers' vibe has been metronome-steady. Kobe Bryant might not be available Sunday, and Lamar Odom absolutely won't, but I expect that intensity to be maintained. Particularly in light of Friday's rather promising win over the Nuggets.

To discuss the matchup, I had an IM conversation with Jeff Caplan, who covers the Mavs for ESPN Dallas. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: From a psychological standpoint, what does Odom's departure do for Dallas?

Jeff Caplan: The first thing is it removes daily frustration and exasperation from the locker room. His behavior was such that I believe players questioned his commitment, and have for some time. Mark Cuban and Rick Carlisle were as patient as possible, believing at some point he would turn things around and contribute. Finally, Cuban saw zero desire emanating from Odom and pulled the plug. The Mavs thrived with an all-for-one mentality last season and now can get back to that.

AK: Even acknowledging Odom's disengagement and poor play, has he been a convenient scapegoat at all for Dallas' underwhelming season?

JC: Absolutely. For evidence that it wasn't just Lamar, just look at Thursday night at Golden State. The Mavs were up 19 in the first half, then allowed the Warriors to cut it to three early in the fourth before turning it on again. That's a staple of this team this year: No lead is safe. That's mostly due to an offense ranking around 20th all year in scoring average and field goal percentage. But I don't think anyone within the organization has said, "It's all Lamar's fault" or "Now that he's gone, we're about to roll." I think there's now just more of a workmanlike mentality, with players going about their business. This is mostly a drama-free locker room led by Dirk Nowitzki, who is unlike any superstar I've ever been around.

The big question is will Shawn Marion have anyone to defend? What's Kobe's status with the shin and is anybody getting worried?

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Can the Lakers compete tonight against the Spurs without Kobe Bryant? If the answer is no, (a) should Mike Brown consider resting Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum and (b) does this mean The Mamba should merit more consideration for MVP honors?

These and other questions were tackled in today's chat. Here's the link to the room.

For the Lakers, a two-game losing streak threatens to dampen the good vibes since the acquisition of new point guard Ramon Sessions, plus swelling hopes for home-court advantage throughout much of the playoffs. For the Mavericks, a four-game winning streak could signal stability after an inconsistent, sometimes turbulent season. Will either team find its path interrupted? We'll see, but after Lakers losses to shorthanded Jazz and Rockets squads, Brendan Haywood and Delonte West being definitely out for the Mavs, plus the possibility of Shawn Marion missing the game, doesn't feel like asset. Any scenario offering the Lakers an excuse to dial back their execution and focus feels dangerous, especially on the road.

For a look at what may lie ahead, I had an instant message conversation with Jeff Caplan, who covers the Mavs for ESPN Dallas. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: So what's the latest on Marion? He's always a key factor in defending Kobe Bryant.

JC: Marion indeed has been terrific against Kobe this year, limiting him to 14.5 points a game, which is like half his league-leading average, and below 30 percent from the field. His left knee has been sore for weeks, but finally forced him out. It was examined Monday and no structural damage was found. I suspect he plays against L.A., but don't hold me to that.



How do you think the Lakers will be different with Ramon Sessions?

AK: In theory, they'll be running more pick-and-roll, and there's a legitimate threat beyond Kobe at the wing to attack the rim. He's also the fastest point guard since Jordan Farmar, but with a bigger role on the horizon. So in other words, very different, and there will be adjustments for everyone involved. Sessions has to learn the playbook and where his teammates like the ball. Sessions' teammates must get used to his speed, and working with a player not named "Kobe" who keeps the rock in his hands so often. (In particular, the Mamba, who hasn't played with a guard this ball dominant since Nick Van Exel.) And most importantly, Brown must figure out the best ways to mesh his new acquisition, a test for a coach not known for offensive creativity. But with everyone cooperating, it's a marriage that should be tremendously beneficial.

Speaking of marriages (Obligatory Khloe joke alert!!!), what's the latest with "As Lamar Odom turns?"

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After he dropped 27 points on the Clippers last night, we were hit with a ton of tweets and questions in today's chat about when the Lakers would bring in Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley. According to ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard, apparently they already could have, but passed, rejecting an offer from Minnesota of Beasley for a first-round draft pick. The second pick of the 2008 draft makes just over $6.2 million this season, but could have been absorbed into the trade exception created by the Lakers in the Lamar Odom deal.

There are any number of totally valid reasons the Lakers wouldn't bite, despite an acute need for help at small forward and additional scoring punch. They could be frightened by Beasley's questionable maturity, or negative aspects of his game, and believe he's a bad fit. Maybe they prefer other targets, and need that pick to make a different deal. Perhaps, as some suspect, they're holding on to every asset they have until Dwight Howard and/or Deron Williams have signed new contracts, even if it means standing pat into the summer.

What will frighten fans, though, is the one cited by Broussard -- money:

"...With one of the league's highest payrolls at roughly $88 million -- well above the luxury tax threshold of $70 million -- the Lakers are due to pay $18 million in taxes this season. Since there is a dollar-for-dollar penalty for tax-paying teams, taking on Beasley's $6.2 million contract would add another $6.2 million to their tax bill and cost the Lakers an extra $12.4 million.

The Lakers' decision falls in line with their decision to trade Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks for an $8.9 million trade exception in December. While Odom asked to be traded after finding out the Lakers put him in a foiled trade attempt to get Chris Paul, the Lakers' chief motivation for trading Odom was to chop their payroll and to save money.

Under the new revenue sharing plan in the recently adopted collective bargaining agreement, the Lakers will pay a bundle and because of that, owner Jerry Buss is no longer willing to spend so freely in going above the luxury tax, according to sources."

(UPDATE- 7:00 pm PT: 710 ESPN's John Ireland, who also serves as the team's radio voice, reports that a source inside the organization says the proposed deal was for both of L.A.'s first round picks, not just the one. Obviously that would change the equation substantially, making the trade far less appealing. However, he also indicates the financial concerns regarding this and other trades are real, and that the Lakers are hesitant to bring in salary without sending some out the door, which fits well with the concerns illustrated below.)

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Via ESPN Dallas' Jeff Caplan, Lamar Odom, who didn't play Wednesday when the Lakers beat the Mavs in Dallas, did not report back to the team Monday.Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle gave no timetable for Odom's return.

"Lamar is not here today," he said Monday. "He is still dealing with a family matter and the hope is he'll join us soon, and we'll update you when there's an update."

It's a stone cold lock the Mavs won't bring back Odom next season, but there has even been some water cooler/sports talk radio speculation they might even buy him out this year. Carlisle gave no indication that was the case, but that the idea sounds plausible indicates just how much Odom has struggled. I suspect Dallas holds on to him, because a) Mark Cuban would owe Odom money anyway, b) he might land on a rival, and c) the potential good he'd do for the Mavs if he improves is too valuable. They've waited this long, and might as well see it through.

If Dallas did pull the trigger on a buyout, talk of a return to Los Angeles would be rampant, but given Odom left town I'd be surprised if the Lakers showed much interest.

They need help, but I suspect that ship has sailed.

When last we saw these teams, on MLK Day, an "NBA Finals Game 7" atmosphere was anticipated. After all, it was the first meeting between the teams since the eventual champion Mavericks turned the Lakers' three-peat run into a car crash. What we got instead was an "NBA Finals Game 7" score (i.e., low). Both squads struggled mightily from the floor, and Derek Fisher's trey with three seconds remaining spared the teams the potential embarrassment of overtime without reaching 80.

To prepare for the rematch, Jeff Caplan, who covers the Mavericks for ESPN Dallas, and I had a conversation breaking down both teams. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: After a slow start, the Mavericks have turned a corner. What's changed since the early struggles?

Jeff Caplan: Defense. Believe it or not this a defense-first outfit. They've really absorbed Rick Carlisle's "system" and no matter who is out with injuries and who is playing, the offense might dip, but the defense has been consistently good. The Mavs are first in opponent field goal percentage, fourth in scoring defense and, before Sunday's loss at New York, top six in defending points in the paint.

AK: And all without Tyson Chandler. Was the fret over his absence overwrought?

JC: I don't think we'll really know until the playoffs. Brendan Haywood has played well and Carlisle is really using three centers with Ian Mahinmi and Brandan Wright. Mahinmi has gone south lately while Wright has shown promise. However, Chandler brought so much emotion and fire, both on the court and in the locker room, and that's a quality this team just didn't have in years past. So, yes, Chandler's absence has been overblown because the Mavs have surprisingly gotten good performances from their centers and the defense overall has been very good. But in the heat of the playoffs, the Mavs might miss Chandler's overall package.

AK: Is safe to assume Dirk is back?

JC: He certainly is getting there. He had a terrific stretch of six games or so, then his shooting tailed off again ... and now he's shooting lights out.

Kobe called out management after yet another road loss at Phoenix on Sunday. What is the chemistry like on this team? You get the sense that Kobe is unhappy.

AK: If Kobe's not truly "unhappy," he's definitely "unhappy-adjacent." As for chemistry, I think guys get along, but on the court and mentally, there's much to be desired. They're struggling to score, which turns basketball into a grind-it-out chore and often a joyless drag. It also doesn't help that, in my opinion, the entire team is waiting for a trade to happen. There's a collective vibe of expected disbandment, which doesn't help in terms of jelling. I get the feeling guys are having a hard time buying into the idea of growing as a group.

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Despite Monday's one-sided win over the Blazers, ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reports a players only meeting was called afterward by Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher. More often than not, such pow-wows reflects signs of trouble, and last night's was no exception. However, I didn't react to the news with anxiety. Instead, this meeting strikes me as both necessary and a positive step, especially because the meeting addressed a very pressing concern:

The need for a unified front.

As I recently mentioned while sharing thoughts on Pau Gasol's situation, his instability in L.A. is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to purple and gold uncertainty. Ever since training camp broke, signals of this team remaining intact as the front office's first choice have been few and far between.

There was an attempt to blow up a championship core for Chris Paul, and no bones were since made about the desire to make changes big and/or small if possible. The roster flaws have only grown more glaring, and if there's a way to fix them from within, Mike Brown hasn't discovered it. (I'd argue he's hindered the process somewhat by refusing to settle on a consistent rotation, but the biggest shortcoming is the inability to bleed a rock.) Upgrades are required, whether you believe in the championship prospects for this season or believe the time is nigh for securing the future. Either approach means Gasol, along with Andrew Bynum, will hear their name in rumors, and likely are being shopped. If they're potentially on the move, so is everybody else on the roster who could be packaged to make a deal work.

Even roster tweaks achieved through the Lamar Odom trade exception mean a brand new rotation, potentially new sets to match new players and, at least on some level, a reset button pressed on whatever progress made so far. And where that new direction takes them, who knows?

That's hardly the stuff unified fronts are made of, and I've noted several times how this team exhibits the vibe of a group expecting disbandment. However, for the storm to be weathered, solidarity is mandatory. If a bunker mentality isn't the natural byproduct of their surroundings, then it must be created inorganically through a conscious, verbalized effort. Maybe the catalyst for unity can actually come from the obstacles themselves.

Clearly, there's little communication or clarification coming from the front office, a standard set, then maintained, when Brown was hired. (If the organization is content to keep Kobe out of the loop, it's a safe assumption every player is fair game for remaining uninformed.) I also don't think it's a stretch to suspect there's not as much automatic faith in a front office where Jim Buss' presence is increasingly prominent. And if appearances and words are taken at face value, Brown isn't one to intervene on behalf of his players to the front office (assuming he's even part of their inner-circle to begin with).

Speaking of which, players may like Brown on a personal level and even respect elements of him professionally, the transition from Phil Jackson to a new staff hasn't been peaches and cream. The rotation and minutes fluctuate wildly and often without any discernible logic. Practices, even in a truncated season low on available rest, are scheduled frequently and typically run long. But even if the dissatisfaction raised by players (Metta World Peace, Matt Barnes, Bynum, among others) on either count didn't result in a distaste for Brown, legitimate trust may still not be established. Several players have spent time under the most successful coach in NBA history, and boast more championship experience than the man now charged with leading them.

Thus, in the end, the players are perhaps left with nobody to count on beyond each other. There's no choice but to form an army 14-strong. There's no choice but to trust each other. Whatever they lack in talent and skill sets can be made up for in loyalty. Few things in life feel better than the knowledge of somebody having your back. That's why it was important Kobe spoke up in support of Pau, even if the front office response predictably offered no resolution. I doubt Kobe truly expected one. His words were as much about addressing the elephant in the room, which is this franchise's lack discernible direction at the moment or semblance of a support system. The players aren't happy about this, but they can't allow themselves to be steamrolled by their situation. The mindset becomes, "If you don't believe in us, have at it. We'll believe in ourselves and see where that takes us."

It was hopefully a strong step towards regaining whatever power can possibly be theirs.

All season, admiration and concern has been expressed by fans and media about the burden on Kobe Bryant's shoulders for Lakers' offense functioning to the degree that it has. For some (like me), his exceptionally high usage rate raises concerns about sustainability, burnout, and the viability of a deep playoff run for a team this theoretically dependent on 24. For others (me again!), it's been entertaining as all get out seeing Kobe succeed so well with 10 gallon-sized "scoring" and "facilitating" hats firmly attached to his head. The pragmatic issues for the Lakers are real, but The Mamba's season is nonetheless off to a pretty amazing start.

But whichever side of the fence you sit, what cannot be debated is the dude's doing work, and the job requires him to walk a tight rope at full speed. Need even more proof than what your eyes see while watching games? Well, Ian Levy of Hickory High has you covered.

Levy created assist distribution graphs for each team in the league, charting each player's assists vs. their assisted buckets on a per game basis. Take a look at the Lakers' artwork and you'll see how all things quite literally point towards Mr. Bean.

If Kobe's graph seems remarkably even, that's only because it is. As Levy notes, "Of the 27 players who average at least 5 assists per game, the most even ratio belongs to Kobe Bryant who hands out 5.6 assists per game, and makes 5.2 assisted field goals per game."

Bryant as the clubhouse leader in assists won't surprise anybody, but the assisted bucket numbers might, since he's by far the Laker most capable of creating his own shot. However, it makes a lot of sense. There's been a very conscientious effort by Mike Brown and Bryant to find ways to get him off-ball opportunities, whether on a cut, catch-and-shoot, or where minimal dribbles are required. These buckets require teamwork, and Bryant's made efficient use of that synergy.

The reasons for this heavy lifting -- the Lamar Odom trade, Steve Blake's injury, the lack of perimeter creators, Bryant sometimes shooting too often, Pau Gasol's periodic indecisiveness -- have been dissected to death on this space, and thus don't need to be rehashed in depth. (I gotta pace myself with 45 games remaining.) But the graphic provides a striking snapshot of how the Laker offense operates right now.

Obviously, it's worth your time to check out the ratio created by the other 13 Lakers who've stepped on the court. For that matter, the dynamics of the other 29 teams are pretty fascinating as well. As True Hoop's Henry Abbott noticed, the Wizards get a jarringly low amount of dimes from folks not named "John Wall."

With the Lakers about to enter a stretch largely on the road, we discuss with Dave McMenamin ways they can demonstrate improvement.

Wednesday night, the Lakers knocked off the Clippers in what was their 19th game of a lockout-shortened 66-game campaign. For those not doing the math at home, one month in the Lakers have already completed 29 percent of their schedule.

A lot of time? No, but by this season's standard not a bad sample size, either.

From a scheduling standpoint, Wednesday also marked a natural dividing line between the home-heavy start and what amounts to a national tour for the purple and gold, as 11 of their next 16 games come away from Staples Center. Put together, it makes for a natural moment to stop and assess what we know about this season's Lakers. When the lockout (tentatively) ended back on Nov. 26, we published a list of 34 questions facing the team this year in the wake of last spring's playoff disaster.

Why 34? Because 20 isn't enough when the league lets you sit around all summer thinking about stuff. Below is that list, each with some answers.

Strap in, people. We've got a lot of ground to cover.

1. Who wins the battle between the well-rested knee of Kobe Bryant (and his ankle, back, finger and general skeletal structure) and a compressed schedule?

Knee? What knee? I thought we were worried about his wrist. (Which, by the way, we’re increasingly less worried about.) Meaning 19 games in, the answer is Bryant in a walk. He leads the league in scoring (30.2), a nearly five-point improvement over last season, while maintaining a solid shooting percentage (45 percent). Asked to carry an almost comical burden in the Lakers offense, at least as measured by his league-leading usage rate (35.9), Bryant has been outstanding. And spry. Very, very spry.

Basically, the man is a running, leaping billboard for German medical engineering.

2. Who wins the battle between the well-rested will of Bryant and the authority of Mike Brown?

The relationship between Kobe and Brown has been a success. Bryant has expressed nothing but admiration for his new coach, praising on multiple occasions Brown’s work ethic and emphasis on defense, noting the team wants to win for him because they see how much Brown wants to win, too. They know he puts in the work.

Doesn't mean the questions about Bryant's shot selection, balance, or how he's used offensively have stopped, but those would be asked whether the coach was Brown, Phil Jackson, Brian Shaw or Rick Adelman. They are, in sports terms at least, eternal.

To this point, though, one major concern -- Brown's ability to "manage" Kobe, has been a non-issue.

3. What will Brown's system look like, and how quickly will the Lakers be able to pick it up?

Not totally sure, and not very.

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Brian and I have spent a lot of time recently debating the likelihood of Dwight Howard getting traded, whether to the Lakers or otherwise. I think he will be. Brian doesn't. However, we do agree if Howard relocates before the deadline, it'll come down to the wire, unless the Magic experiences a seemingly unlikely tailspin. Until that time arrives (or doesn't), the Lakers are a team in need of help, and the trade exception from the Lamar Odom deal provides the flexibility to obtain a player without sending one out in return.

One such candidate I've recently pondered is Grizzlies reserve guard O.J. Mayo. From a skill set perspective, he addresses some glaring needs: Mayo is a wing capable of creating his own shot and connecting from outside, plus serving as a reasonably reliable play-maker. He's hardly a panacea, particularly on the defensive end, but at the same time, the Lakers have considerably more issues scoring than stopping, and beggars can't be choosers. Mayo could provide a real shot in the arm. He's been shopped by the Grizzlies before, and would actually be a Pacer right now were it not for last minute snags.

I've wondered over the last couple weeks if the Griz might be willing to pawn him off simply for the privilege of no longer paying his salary. From there, it's a matter of the Lakers picking up a $5.6 million tab, and unless the front office is already writing off this season, they'd have to consider it.

Now, though, it seems this scenario may not be likely. Via Ronald Tillery, Commercial Appeal:

Truth is, Griz management isn't seriously thinking of dealing Mayo nor is his possible, restricted free-agent status this summer a major concern. Mayo likely will remain with the Griz this season because of his productivity and the Grizzlies' ability to control his future with the right of first refusal on contract offers.

Although Mayo is eligible to negotiate a long-term contact extension with Memphis by Wednesday, the Griz aren't compelled to agree to a deal or trade him at the moment.

"It remains to be seen whether something happens or not," Griz general manager Chris Wallace said about a Mayo contract extension. "If it doesn't happen I wouldn't read much into it. We didn't extend Rudy and re-signed him. It's a floating situation. I wouldn't say (Mayo) is a lock to be with us after this year and I wouldn't say he isn't. There's so much ground to be covered between now and July."

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Another night when the NBA might have to resconsider the whole "I love this game!" theme it has run with over the years, but once again on their home floor, the Los Angeles Lakers managed to win.

L.A. runs its record to 10-5, with tough games at Miami and Orlando upcoming.

Here are seven takeaways ...

1. The Lakers finished with one 3-pointer, but it was a very, very important one.

Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle did everything he's supposed to do. The ball was inbounded high on the floor to Kobe Bryant, matched up against Shawn Marion. Jason Terry quickly came over to double. Bryant made the pass back to the right wing to Derek Fisher.

Say what you will about Fisher and his place in this league (and you have said a lot), if there's a spot you want him on that wall, where you need him on that wall, this is it. Lakers fans have seen this movie before, and it's a good one. Fisher's triple capped an outstanding fourth quarter for the old man. Nine points on 3-for-4 shooting, plus a pair of free throws and a critical steal.

Don't ignore the whole one 3-pointer thing, though. It's indicative of an outside shooting problem that isn't getting better.

2. Kobe Bryant had a bad game offensively, the Lakers won anyway.

After four straight 40-plus games, it's fair to forgive Kobe an off shooting night. Just 7-for-22, only one free throw attempt, and seven assists (nice!) against four turnovers (less nice). Many of the shots weren't much different than those he's made on other nights, but overall the shot chart did change. Via ESPN Stats & Information, only three of Bryant's 22 shots came within 10 feet, for four points. During the previous four games, he had scored 77 of his 172 points inside 10 feet, free throws included. To his credit, Bryant did little forcing offensively and when the time came had three dimes in the fourth, including the critical dish to help win the game. I certainly don't recommend this strategy (73 points!) any more than relying on Kobe to do all the heavy lifting, but had Bryant struggled mightily and the Lakers had their doors blown off, it would have been worse.

The Lakers have a long way to go on that side of the ball. Bryant didn't get much help from Pau Gasol, who finished with eight points and didn't have a field goal in the second half (though he did contribute -- see below). Andrew Bynum did his part, and Fisher came up big down the stretch.

But 73 points is 73 points.

3. Andrew Bynum had a good night against the double team.

When Carlisle elected to guard him man up, primarily with Brendan Haywood, Bynum dominated. His position was consistently deep on the block, using both the left and right hands to convert. He moved well without the ball, converting a nice alley-oop pass from Josh McRoberts, and diving to the rim after a nice two-man sequence between Bryant and Gasol forced Bynum's man away in help. But more than anything, the positive takeaway from his 17-point, 15-rebound night wasn't in how he scored, but what he did recognizing the double-team. It started early, when in the first quarter he found himself triple-teamed on the left block, spun baseline and threaded a nice bounce pass to Jason Kapono in the corner for a long jumper.

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Not quite a true return to the scene of the crime, since the Lakers officially surrendered their reign as back-to-back champions after a blowout loss in Dallas. But it's nonetheless a rematch and, for the Lakers, one with bitter feelings attached. Bowing out of the postseason is one thing. Getting swept is quite another. I don't imagine any Laker would even bother claiming this game is just another among 66 this season, if for no other reason than his nose would grow at least one foot.

For perspective on the defending champs, I recorded a podKast with Tim MacMahon, who covers the team for ESPN Dallas. The topics discussed included the presence of Delonte West, the absence of Tyson Chandler and the team's prospect for repeating as champs. You can hear the entire show by clicking here.

But of course, from a Lakers fan's perspective, there's no talking point more intriguing than Lamar Odom now in Dallas. His exit was abrupt and controversial, and since arriving in Big D, LO's adjustment on and off the court has been a work in slow progress. Considering the incredible 2010-11 campaign, numbers like 6.8 ppg, 5 rebounds and a PER of 7.44 are pretty shocking. Below are some excerpts from MacMahon about Odom's transition.

MacMahon, on why Odom has struggled in Dallas:

"He's out of shape. He's out of sorts. And he's completely out of sync with what's going on here. He came in in poor conditioning. The primary goal is to get him in shape. He's not playing many minutes because he's not in good enough shape to do so, and the minutes he is playing, he's usually not playing very well. They've got to get him up to speed in the Mavericks' system and then a lot of this, mentally, he just has to come join the party here in Dallas. He obviously took it extremely hard that the Lakers wanted to trade him in the Chris Paul deal, and [when] that fell apart, he pretty much demanded to be traded. Now that that happened, he has to deal with it.

He also had an extremely difficult offseason from a personal perspective. He had a cousin that was murdered. He was in a car where there was an accident. He wasn't driving, but a young man was killed, who wasn't in that car, but was killed in that accident. So he's dealing with a lot of very difficult off-the-floor emotional baggage. He hasn't fit in with his new team and a lot of that is his own fault and some of it's situations that are out of his control."

MacMahon, on Odom's comments to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix that he's not "prepared to play" and that his game isn't adapting the way he thought it would:

"Really, I think he has to accept the fact that it's a new situation and he has to completely invest himself emotionally. That and his conditioning are the two main things. They don't want to run a bunch of set plays. They want to play a flow type of offense that he theoretically should fit in very well, but he doesn't know what he's doing on the defensive end of the floor. If you're not getting stops, it's hard to get into a flow type of offense, and that's part of the problem.

But what I really think, for the most part, he has to get into shape, and deal with the fact that he's in Dallas now. This is a team that obviously has a chance to contend. It won the championship last year. Stop moping around, start focusing on not what happened in the past, and the opportunity he has in front of him. I think he'd be surprised at how well he might fit in."

MacMahon, on whether there have been signs of that happening

"The one thing you hear is that he has a good attitude in terms of he's on his own conditioning program. They've got him running extra sprints, doing extra conditioning after practices, after shootarounds. ... But his body language on the floor is just awful. He looks like a guy who doesn't want to be here, who doesn't want much part of what's going on. They like the work ethic, but everything else really needs to improve and improve quickly."

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It will be strange to see Lamar Odom take the floor Monday night in a Dallas Mavericks uniform, something not at all lost on his former teammates Sunday afternoon at practice. Not that the transition to Texas has been smooth. Odom's first 13 games wearing blue and green have been a disaster-- 6.8 points on 31 percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a career-low 20 minutes a night -- as Odom struggles not just with fitness or the hurt of being shipped out by the Lakers, but also a summer filled with tragedy.

This for a guy who at 32 already has absorbed more than a lifetime's worth of death and sadness.

Still, his slow start combined with L.A.'s relative success has, at least for some portion of the fan base, created a line of argument that the Lakers are better off without him. They're not. While Odom was definitely set for a step back from last year's Sixth Man of the Year performance regardless of the lockout or anything he endured in the offseason -- history suggests last season's high-end outside shooting was the exception, not the rule -- I suspect he'd be playing better with the Lakers than he is in Dallas. It might take a while, but eventually he'd round into useful form.

Regardless, Odom's return highlights the ways in which his absence has punched holes in the L.A. roster. Mitch Kupchak did a decent job this offseason with limited resources, signing Josh McRoberts and Troy Murphy to bolster the frontcourt, and adding Jason Kapono as a sniper. Still, Odom's production from last year (and, to a lesser degree, Shannon Brown's) hasn't been replicated, whether by any combination of the new players or by sliding Metta World Peace to the second unit.

Bench scoring for the Lakers is down from 27.7 points a game last year to 21.3 this season, while the group's efficiency differential has plummeted, as well. In a nutshell, the Lakers are getting very, very little production off the pine. Perhaps more importantly, Odom's departure also robbed the Lakers of their second-best shot creator and secondary ball handler, helping explain the corresponding rise in Kobe Bryant's workload not just as a scorer, but a facilitator as well.

The change in skill sets is one of a litany of other factors providing real obstacles to the group's improvement. Mike Brown hit on many in the clip above, following Sunday's practice. Two big ones:

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In the time passed between the day this show was recorded (Thursday) and the day of this posting, the Lakers collected a win (against Cleveland) a loss (against the Clips). And in each game, Kobe Bryant scored exactly 42 points. The more things change, the more they stay the same, ya know?

The entire show can be heard by clicking here, and a breakdown of talking points is listed below:

- (3:15): After taking a trip down "Bad Memories of the Loss in Cleveland" Lane, we discuss the Lakers' winning ways of late, which hasn't generated much noise. Is it because Kobe's exceptionally high level of play overshadowed the victories (or worse, frightened fans into believing this team is Kobe-dependent for success)? Perhaps the level of competition, which hasn't been high, quells excitement for a team trying to reestablish championship credentials? If that's the case, Saturday's showdown with the Clippers, plus upcoming contests against the Mavericks, Heat, Magic and Pacers, certainly up the ante.

- (11:13): Speaking of trips into the past, how about a stroll down "BK Plays Chicken With Kobe Bryant and Loses" Lane? All joking aside, it's important to remember asking whether Kobe's current pace is sustainable for a season is different than judging the play itself. While both of us have doubts about the practicality (and necessity) of Kobe expending this much energy, there's no question as entertainment, it's been a thrill to watch.

- (17:26): In any event, Kobe's strong start is a testament to his conditioning, which is unrivaled in professional sports, much less the rest of the league. During a compressed season where the majority of NBA players are working their way into shape, Kobe's fitness stands out that much more. Brian compares this to Aesop's fable of the ant and the grasshopper, in which the hard-working ant steadfastly prepares for the upcoming winter while the grasshopper is out playing, then gets left with nothing when the snow arrives. The fable, in which the ant lets the grasshopper starve to death, also underscores how Aesop fostered quite the bitter edge.

I also attempt to explain exactly how the #NBArank -- otherwise known as the "Kobe-at-#7" project -- works. I imagine these procedural details (namely, this wasn't a traditional ranking system) will fall on deaf ears, but I figured it was worth a shot.

- (24:00): We call out Arash Markazi for canceling a podKast appearance to hang with Chris Paul. On what planet does CP3 take precedence over us?

- (24:37): Believe it or not, Metta World Peace is currently ninth among forwards in the All-Star voting. BK is concerned by the prospect of him rising.

- (28:30): It's not often we say this, but credit should be given when due. After taking heaps of abuse, David Kahn is looking pretty good with that Ricky Rubio selection.