Dallas Mavericks: Lamar Odom-Inspired Video Preps Team for Playoffs

If he's credited for nothing else this season, Lamar Odom should be given a pat on the back for motivating the team heading into the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Although he's probably sitting on a couch taking orders for another episode of "Khloe & Lamar" as we speak, he's still helping his former teammates stay motivated.

The Dallas Mavericks will likely look back at the 2011-2012 lockout-shortened season as one that Odom wasted away. But in a move of sheer brilliance by the team's marketing and PR department, they've used his exit slogan as a way to gear fans up for the postseason.

A video that includes Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, head coach Rick Carlisle and others surfaced yesterday, asking Mavericks fans if they were "All In" for the start of the playoffs, ending in the phrase, "Are You In?"

Of course, this all stems from the controversy that ultimately left the reality TV star and ex-Laker on the outside looking in for the remainder of the season.

According to Dallas owner Mark Cuban, he asked Odom "if he was in or out" at halftime of an April game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Cuban and Odom had it out in the locker room, culminating with Odom being late to the bench to start the second half and his ultimate dismissal just a day later.

Now, that slogan is the focus of the marketing campaign to get fans, and more importantly the entire roster, on board in pursuit of the franchise's second NBA championship.

Odom will be on the inactive list for the remainder of the regular and postseason. He'll collect the rest of his $8.9 million salary from his home, watching his old team while they desperately try to defend the NBA title.

It's no secret that Dallas probably wishes they had their first-round pick back that they gave the Los Angeles Lakers. But maybe Odom's best work is yet to come, and the words used to usher him out the door will also usher fans and players alike into finding some motivation to return to the championship-caliber team people enjoyed watching just one year ago.