The good Lamar Odom showed up and was a dominating force in game one. He keyed the Lakers first half run from which they never looked back. He finished with 19 points and more key (especially in the second half) 19 rebounds.
That quote (we’ll lead you to Ken Berger at CBS to read the context) comes from Amare Stoudemire, the man who did nothing to stop Odom in game one. Odom, sounding like a professional, refused to play along later and just said he hoped to be lucky again.
But that quote says something about Amare.
It says he was frustrated, which he should be, and maybe this is how Stoudemire fires himself up. (There also are some things going on in his personal life that may lead him to spout off more than normal.)
But if he thinks rebounding is about luck, it sheds light on his passions. It also sheds light on why he had just three rebounds in the game.
Rebounding is about 10 percent luck and 90 percent desire. It’s want. More than anything else on the basketball court, rebounds are where “want” manifests itself. Charles Barkley was maybe 6'5", but he was a force on the glass because he wanted the ball more than anyone else. The best rebounder of his generation -- one of the best of all time -- was Dennis Rodman and he was 6'7", yet for six straight years in the mid ‘90s he pulled down more than 25 percent of the available rebounds while he was on the floor. His last year with the Spurs that was almost 30 percent. He wanted that ball more than you and he went and got it.
In Game 1, Odom wanted it. Now for Game 2 indifferent Odom or maybe even bad Odom will show up to play -- there is no more inconsistent talented player in the NBA. But what he did in Game 1 had nothing to do with luck. It was desire. And Stoudemire needs to show more of that and grab more than three rebounds if the Suns are going to take one in LA.