Lamar Odom Quotations

When we were down at halftime, (Bryant) was ticked. He said nothing and that was scary.

I got home, and my son told me how much he loved watching Kobe. We're playing with somebody who's making history as he goes along. It's like traveling with a rock star.

If this were football, I would be listed as probable.

This was not like having a cold or the flu, this was a complicated surgery. Some people lose their lives, not just their career. When you figure he's been able to play for us, and even to be effective for us, anybody has to be inspired. He's defeated some long odds to be here and now he's an emotional part of this team.

We've got to make every game a defensive game. ... When you play the worst defensive game of the year, you get beat. Point blank.

He was a good dude before. He's an even better dude now. This is a guy who's been through a lot. He's one guy who knows how fragile life can be.

Kirilenko must have thought he was in Salt Lake City tonight. A couple of times he made tough shots.

Kobe helps me too, because if I'm ever lying back too much, him trying to get open or him fighting wakes me up. Kobe's game is like smelling salts. If you're lying back, he's going to get you up. He's the best player I've ever played with.

Kobe, he has really strong will. When he's in the zone like that, he's definitely on an island by himself.

It could have been called a foul. But if it's not, I guess that means I just didn't go hard enough. I thought it was a tough move.

Right now you have a lot of power forwards who have small-forward athleticism and abilities,

Some games you have to do the right thing basketball-wise to win and we can't seem to do that. We don't play a good offensive game and we can't win. That puts Kobe in a bind. He's got to get 35 or 40 points for us to win. We should be embarrassed. I know I am.

My man is feeling it. He's got it cooking.

That was a great move. He's real athletic, so you can just throw the ball by the rim and he'll go up and finish it. We're trying to find him. He's real aggressive underneath the basket. He's protecting our paint, and we love the job that he's doing.

We played poorly. That's just what you expect.

We needed this game, so I just wanted to stay aggressive around the boards, find the basket, get some easy shots and go to the free throw line.

We get to have a light practice, lift a little weights, have a steak and relax a little bit.

We'll do it. If we have to do it, we'll certainly do it.

We played a great defensive game against Detroit, a great defensive game against Oklahoma (New Orleans) and San Antonio, and we do the little things that it takes to win big games. Then we come back tonight and we just don't scrap enough. I don't know if that's youth. I don't know if it's a heart thing. I hope it's not a heart thing.

We don't know how to win ugly yet. It's either we have good offensive games or we lose.

We're over it. Everybody's over it in this organization. (Nuggets fans) should have been over it. (It) didn't happen to them. I don't know why they take it so personally.

This should be a confidence-booster for our team, especially after the game last night.

When you play good defense, you give yourself opportunities to beat teams. When you play bad defense, you give yourself opportunities to lose to any team.

Without our best offensive player, we've got to play better defense.

We just threw everybody at (Pierce). If you put two guys on him, you have a high percentage of stopping him.

The time off was good for the mind and body. I was just more aggressive tonight.

The third quarter is really biting us in the butt. It's a team defensive thing we've just got to fix.

So now that we go back home we've got to find a way to keep our ship afloat. In the second half of the season, every game is going to be towards gaining some playoff position.

That's just the way he is. He's always been that way.

That's going to be his place in history. Right now, he's really focused and feels like it's his league. Before the 81 points, Kobe should have been getting his due as far as the MVP.

This group is a little bit closer because we've been together since training camp,

It's a blessing to be out on the court with him, and tonight he showed why, again. It's crazy. Eighty-one points, that's a lot of points. A lot of players couldn't do that because they would just let up. It's a testament to his will, really. It's so strong. He's a strong-minded dude.

It's like God put Kobe here for us to watch him play basketball.

Once he learns how to settle in ... he will be all right. I try to tell him sometimes go easy and pick your spots ... jab, jab, jab and then hook. But with him right now it's like hook, hook, hook, hook. But he is a great offensive player. He might get the start.

I kept myself in the game by rebounding the ball. There's a lot of ways I can help this team. I just got to play good basketball, be smart with the basketball.

I'm kind of lost for words. It was a pleasure just to watch him out here.

I put Kobe in a bind out there. He has to score 40 points just for us to win. I don't blame him for shooting 40 shots some nights. We should be embarrassed as a team. I know I am.

His ability is amazing, and his will is amazing.

He's the best rookie I've every played with. He just makes plays. He's not getting a lot of hype right now, but people are going to find out about Mr. Wade.

He's very patient, ... He takes his time with us. He's what you call a team player right now.

He's one of the best small forwards ever. You could argue he's the best, although I'll bet you James Worthy would probably have a good argument about that. But he's an all-around player. And I consider myself to be an all-around player.

I did some things I regret, and I know there are people who think they know me. I've heard the things they say, and some of them are hurtful.

Lamar is just Lamar. My teammates probably can explain that a little better than I can. If I just go out there and do what I do and be myself, it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm a role model. I have overcome the negativity, and I'm playing.

If I put my mind to something and really want it, I'll go after it and get it.

There's pressure every night to be the best on the court. I put a lot of pressure on myself. Pressure is part of the game. It is also part of life. I want to prove I can do the work and be a success off the court as well as on it.

Either you can do it or you can't. I think I can overcome anything I put my mind to.

Me. I like to have fun. I'm like a kid in a candy story out there.

People tell me that I'm always smilin' on the court. I don't think about it. I just get emotional out there.

I'm always going to be under a microscope, and I haven't always handled it well.

The thing I love about the NBA game is that it's a playmaker's league.

I've always felt that I'm a natural leader.

Perception rules the world. Everyone knows that. Where we live and where we're from, you just can't escape it.

I've always been taught to care what other people think. My grandmother and mother taught me to project a positive image of myself.

When I'm on the court, it's like I'm in heaven.

Sometimes I still don't know if I'm prepared to go through the entire season, dealing with the different personalities, the crowds, the politics.

You walk in our locker room and you see Pau Gasol, you see Andrew Bynum, you see Kobe, you see Ron Artest ... we have so many players that can play.

My grandmother was always upbeat, a naturally happy person. I think I got that from her.

There was a possibility I could have been out of the NBA. It's taught me something that was a little deeper than basketball. I'm talking about life decisions.

I'm just a basketball player, you know? Just put me where you need me.

My grandma always said bad things don't last forever.

I think a lot of the media love the game and hate the people who play it.

I just try to focus on the basketball game and not get caught up in all the media.

I'm one of those players that I think I can do what's asked of me. Whether it's putting the ball in the basket, rebounding the ball, diving on the floor, making other people better, I'm willing to do anything just to win.

A little adversity can't hold me down.

People have always told me, 'Yo, you're too unselfish. Shoot more.'

We're all products of our environment. The key is not to fall.

You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but not cocky. You have to realize that you can lose. We have to stay hungry, because losing is the worst thing that can happen now. That's a road we don't want to go down.

In New York, the dunk is not the thing. To break somebody down and shoot a J-that's as big as a dunk in New York.

You've got to play with pride and guts.

The hip-hop culture is part of the NBA, ... It's not going to leave just because we change what we wear.