Like the prodigal son, Lamar Odom was welcomed home by Los Angeles Laker fans when he played as a Dallas Maverick for the first time at the Staples Center on Monday night. Odom, who was traded by the Lakers to the Mavericks after a rather embarassing scuffle, received a standing ovation from L.A. basketball fans — including his wife Khloe Kardashian and courtside fixture Jack Nicholson.
It was a heartening moment for Odom — who dealt rather graciously with a botched trade attempt that would have had him house-hunting in New Orleans — but also a surreal one. In an awkward twist, Odom was traded so quickly to the Mavericks last month that the Lakers hadn't had a chance to remove his image from the tickets.

TMZ reports that Odom told reporters after the game that it felt "surreal" to get ready in the visitors' locker room, but added, "it gave me energy."
Meanwhile, in the Eastern conference, Dwyane Wade believes he can fly...or at least, that his new ride can. The Miami Heat star got an impressive gift for his 30th birthday — a brand new 2012 McLaren MP4-12C, worth an estimated $230,000 — from the owner of a local car dealership for whom Wade is a brand ambassador.
The generous benefactor didn't just stick a bow on the thing and park it in the driveway: the dealership owner had it airlifted over the wall of the hotel where Wade was having his party and landed it on a platform in the middle of the swimming pool...all without putting a scratch on the car.
Wade was presented with the gift in front of a crowd of his celebrity friends, including his girl Gabrielle Union, Usher, Common, T.I. and teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
Fancy, huh?

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