Lamar Odom’s ailing back was much improved Thursday night. It was better than Wednesday, when it was better than Tuesday, when it was better than Monday, when it was better than Sunday, when it was better than Saturday. “We’re more confident that he’s going to be all right,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of the team’s sixth man. “He was moving much better (Thursday morning). It starts to look like he’s natural again and not stilted by his injury.” Odom bruised his back when he crashed to the court after colliding with Houston’s Shane Battier in Game 4 of the Lakers’ second-round series against the Rockets. Odom also suffered a build-up of fluid near his spine.Â
