Odom: 2-3 more weeks

Threadbare but still pushing forward, the Lakers will be without forward Lamar Odom for two to three more weeks.

The timetable for his return was updated after he met Friday night with team trainers and team doctor Steve Lombardo while the rest of the Lakers went through a strategy session before playing the Denver Nuggets.

“I feel good, but you’ve got to let nature take its course,” Odom said. “It’s still probably going to be a couple more weeks.”

Odom has been out since Dec. 12 because of a sprained ligament in his right knee. The initial diagnosis a day later was for a period of at least four weeks, which made his best-case scenario a Jan. 10 return.

Odom is averaging 17.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists. The Lakers have gone 8-5 without him, including a victory in the game in which he was injured.

Dressed in a suit, sweater and tie, he sat at the end of the Lakers’ bench during Friday’s game. He received a brief ovation from the crowd when his image was flashed on the scoreboard.

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The Lakers continue to struggle while defending screen-and-rolls. In fact, Andrew Bynum was pulled from the Lakers’ victory Thursday over Sacramento because of it.

“They found a way to take advantage of his inexperience,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “At the end of the third quarter, they started the high screen-and-roll sequence. I had to call a couple timeouts and try and correct that a little bit, and ultimately I had to make a substitution for Andrew.”

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Two last bits from the lengthy overtime victory against Sacramento:

The Lakers had not been called for so many fouls (42) since the Minneapolis Lakers also had 42 against St. Louis in February 1957.

And, of greater surprise, Jackson resisted a shot at the referees.

“If I said something, I’d probably get fined $25,000,” he said.

He was hit with a $25,000 fine for criticizing the referees after a Nov. 24 loss in Utah.

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