Wade can make them sweat

The Lakers know about opponents devising defensive schemes to deal with Kobe Bryant.

Well, the Lakers find themselves in the same situation, putting together a game plan to slow down Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade.

“We have to think about playing a zone,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. “We worked on a zone today. We worked on full-court pressure today. You can see our guys in a total sweat.”

Wade brings the Heat to Staples Center tonight to face the Lakers, who have won eight of their last 10 games and are tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA at 29-6.

Wade leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 29.1 points a game. He is ninth in assists, dishing out 7.0 a game.

He has the ball in his hands most of the time for the Heat.

That’s not all the Lakers have noticed about Wade.

“The last step he takes is a 10-foot step and he’s around people,” Jackson joked. “I’m not saying he walks, now. I’m just saying that last step. . . . Yeah, he’s playing great.”

Wade scored 35 points against the Lakers in the Heat’s 89-87 victory Dec. 19. He created all sorts of problems with his ability to get to the basket.

“It’s all about Wade’s penetration on screen-and-roll and setting guys up and getting to the basket,” Jackson said. “You try to make him take the toughest shot possible, stop the penetration as best you can and deal with it from there.

“That’s saying an awful lot. His penetration is what it is.”

Odom still sidelined

The questions were direct. The answers were even more direct.

Lamar Odom has sat out the last two games because of a bone bruise in his right knee, leaving his status listed as day to day.

After practice Saturday, Odom was asked if he participated in it.

“No,” Odom responded.

Following that answer, Odom was asked if he will play tonight.

“No,” Odom responded.

Then Odom was asked what holds him back from playing.

“The knee being ready,” Odom said. “It’s not there yet. It doesn’t have the strength that I want it to have. I could play with pain. My life is pain. So a knee, I can play. But it’s not ready yet. It’s not stable.”

Odom says he plans to travel with the team for its two-game trip to Houston and San Antonio to get treatment in hopes he’ll be able to play soon.

Jackson said the team was not expecting Odom to play tonight, either.

“But we’re not ruling him out,” Jackson said. “We have a spot open on the roster. No one else is ready to play. So, if he comes off and has a great recovery [Saturday night], we’ll have a space on the roster for him.”

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broderick.turner@latimes.com