Walton's injury hamstrings Lakers, The key reserve likely will miss about a month.
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By KEVIN DING, The Orange County Register, 10/13/05
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HONOLULU – It is said a great coach's influence is felt most with a team's role players. The Lakers are hoping Coach Phil Jackson can prove something with a bench that is now largely unproven, but it looks even shakier now that Luke Walton strained his left hamstring and is likely to miss about a month.
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"This is really a slow go if it is a tear to the extreme nature that (trainer) Gary (Vitti) originally thought it was," Jackson said Wednesday.
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Walton was injured with 3:02 left in the Lakers' 101-93 victory in their exhibition opener late Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. Walton, whose game savvy and team play as a rookie in 2003-04 made him a Jackson favorite, is projected to be a key reserve this season, with the ability to play guard or forward.
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"All that preparation coming into the season ..." Walton lamented. "Now I just have to start rehabbing this."
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Walton sprained an ankle last preseason, which contributed to him missing out on a regular place in Rudy Tomjanovich's rotation. Walton, one of the few current Lakers who can dependably initiate the triangle offense, still figures to have a role for Jackson this season.
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Starting power forward Kwame Brown also was hurt in the game, suffering a cut under his left eye that required seven stitches. Brown left with 2:03 left in third quarter, did not return but reported no lasting damage.
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ODOM THE CLOSER
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The exhibition opener featured both of Jackson's main experiments: Lamar Odom playing point forward in the triangle and the Lakers springing full-court pressure defense.
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After a shaky opening sequence with Smush Parker joining Odom, Brown, Kobe Bryant and Chris Mihm as starters, Odom improved as the game went on. When Walton was hurt, Jackson sent Odom back into the game, and Odom dominated the final minutes.
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"I felt comfortable out there," Odom said. "Did I look comfortable?"
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Jackson liked Odom's late aggressiveness but said a better sign will be Odom showing late aggressiveness when Bryant also is on the floor.
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"He's still a long ways from being smooth in what we anticipate will be a system he'll take to and enjoy," Jackson said of Odom. "It's going to take him awhile." Odom finished with 16 points.
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Jackson said Odom's all-around production is a greater priority than his points.
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"If he's threatening a triple-double," Jackson said, "it's probably more important than if he scores 25 points and five (rebounds) and five (assists)."
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Bryant had team highs of 28 points (on 10-of-19 shooting) and five assists.
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JACKSON says no
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Jackson said he wasn't in the mix for the job as USA Basketball coach in 2006-08 and wasn't interested because of the time commitment.
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Bryant has said he intends to play in the 2008 Olympics in China.Tuesday's Late Result
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GOLDEN STATE (93)   
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Murphy 3-6 0-2 8, Davis 3-9 10-11 17, Richardson 6-13 1-1 14, Foyle 3-3 3-4 9, Dunleavy 2-8 1-2 6, Miles 0-1 0-0 0, Pietrus 3-10 5-7 13, Fisher 1-5 6-8 8, Ellis 1-7 1-2 4, Cabarkapa 3-5 2-3 8, Biedrins 0-0 1-2 1, N'diaye 0-0 3-4 3, Cheaney 0-3 2-2 2. Totals 25-70 35-48 93. 
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LAKERS (101)   
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Parker 4-6 0-0 9, Odom 5-9 6-7 16, Bryant 10-19 8-8 28, Mihm 1-6 5-6 7, Brown 2-7 2-5 6, McKie 1-3 0-0 2, George 2-5 4-5 8, Walton 2-2 1-1 5, Medvedenko 1-4 0-0 2, Bobbitt 2-7 0-0 4, Vujacic 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 1-6 1-3 3, Wafer 0-2 1-2 1, Cook 3-8 4-4 10, Parada 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-85 32-41 101. 
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Golden State  31 25 18 19- 93  
Lakers 23 32 21 25-101  
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3-Point goals-Golden State 8-27 (Murphy 2-4, Pietrus 2-5, Ellis 1-4, Dunleavy 1-4, Richardson 1-4, Davis 1-5, Fisher 0-1), Lakers 1-12 (Parker 1-3, Brown 0-1, Cook 0-1, Jones 0-1, Vujacic 0-1, Bobbitt 0-2, Odom 0-3). Fouled out-Biedrins. Rebounds-Golden State 57 (Murphy 11), Lakers 58 (Mihm 9). Assists-Golden State 16 (Davis 7), Lakers 14 (Bryant 5). Total fouls-Golden State 35, Lakers 34. Technical-Cabarkapa. A-7,307 (10,000).