A Glitch in the Matrix?

To keep or not to keep? The Odom question is central when thinking about the Laker’s offseason and long-term game plan to build a contender. Many LA bloggers say there’s only one player they’d rather have as the complimentary superstar to his soon-to-be-24-ness than LO: KG. If the Ticket demands for a transfer this summer, by all means deliver him to sunny CA. But would no one else play second fiddle better than Odom? Certain promising Toronto and Orlando-based bigmen come to mind. I could be persuaded to imagine a skinnier O’Neal in purple and gold if the Pacers decide to blow it up sooner rather than later. My affinity for single-named Brazillians might even force me to throw The Artist Formerly Known as Hilario into the mix.



http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060511

But all-star, Olympian, and unique a talent as he is, I would not take Shawn Marion over Lamar Odom. I’ll take Marc Stein’s surprisingly on-base point one step further: the Matrix can be controlled. Unlike Neo, Shawn is incapble of dominating his surroundings when it matters most. It’s almost unnoticeable at first, but sure as those octopus ships will drill into Zion, playoff level defenses take away the powers that Marion so impressively exhibits during the regular season.



His one-on-one moves are worse than Kwame Brown’s. His handle is sub-Kaman. And if you close out so he’s forced to dribble into that little goose neck, his shot is as reliable as Quinton Ross’. He relies on inattentive defense to back-cut, flash to the middle, snag offensive boards—he finds himself in a whole new reality come May.

Ask yourself: is that really air you are breathing?