Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom was examined today by team orthopedist Dr. Steve Lombardo and has been diagnosed with a moderate medial collateral sprain of his right knee. Odom is expected to be out a minimum of four weeks.

Odom suffered the injury with 10:01 remaining in the first quarter of last night’s game in Houston.

Odom, in his 8th season in the NBA, is currently averaging a career-high 17.5 points along with 8.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

This hits the Lakers hard, as aside from Kobe Bryant, Odom is the only star on the team. Everyone else are basically role players and bench contributors. Luke Walton, already having the best season of his career, will have to step up even more. And big men Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown and Brian Cook will also have to rise and fill in the blanks.

No one else on the team can do all that Odom does, though.