Radmanovic breaks the ice

Lost in the fine print of the Lakers’ three-game run was the effort by the guy once referred to as, well, lost.

Phil Jackson uncorked one of his more memorable quotes when he called Vladimir Radmanovic a “space cadet” last season, but the recent play of the 27-year-old forward has helped keep the Lakers orbiting above the rest of the Western Conference.

In the last three games, all victories for the short-handed Lakers, Radmanovic averaged 15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 56.3% shooting from three-point range (nine for 16).

He traces it to a fiery exchange with Jackson on the bench during a timeout in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 102-100 victory over Dallas on Tuesday.

Jackson wasn’t thrilled with Radmanovic’s defense. Radmanovic wasn’t thrilled with being called out.

“P.J. got me really [angry] that game,” he said. “I think that triggered that side of me, which is good for the Lakers. With Pau [Gasol] being out, obviously we need more guys to step up and do something. We didn’t do it the first few games on the road [without him].”

Radmanovic responded to the quarrel by making three three-pointers in the fourth quarter on the way to a 21-point outburst against the Mavericks. He followed it up with 13-point games against Utah and Seattle.

Jackson has noticed, in his own way.

“I won’t say anything about his defense, but I will say something about his offense,” he said. “He’s made critical shots and wanted the ball and his teammates looked for him and got him the ball.

“I told them on practice day in Dallas, ‘Vlad’s not out there for his defense. He’s not out there for his rebounding. He’s out there because he’s a great shooter and he can help us do some things.’ . . . We are shooting ourselves in the foot when we don’t get him the ball.”

Radmanovic was in Jackson’s doghouse a year ago when he came back with a separated shoulder after a snowboarding accident in Utah during the All-Star break.

Radmanovic initially fibbed about his injury, saying he slipped on a patch of ice while crossing the street in Park City, but he eventually came clean. He ended up getting fined $500,000 by the Lakers and sat out seven weeks because of the injury.

Now in the second season of a five-year, $30.2-million contract, Radmanovic has been cleaning up from the perimeter.

“We’re having a great season,” he said. “For me, last year was a disaster and to have a chance to play again was something I was looking forward to. It’s better when you’re making shots. You feel better.”

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Golden State is enmeshed in a slightly different playoff race than the Lakers.

The Warriors (42-26) are trying to fend off Denver (41-28) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, placing a premium on back-to-back games tonight and Monday against the Lakers.

“I told the players that they obviously must feel the pinch because Denver’s breathing down their throat,” Jackson said.

The Warriors are still the same up-tempo team that upset Dallas in the first round of last season’s playoffs. They are averaging a league-high 110.9 points and are giving up a league-high 108 points.

Jackson outlined some ways to beat them.

“Take care of the basketball,” he said. “Limit the amount of times they get to run out with the ball. Limit your turnovers. Approach the game like you don’t have to play their pace. You can play the pace you want. . . . It’s got to be our tempo.”

TONIGHT

vs. Golden State, 6:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570; 1330.

Records -- Lakers 48-21; Warriors 42-26.

Record vs. Warriors -- 1-1.

Update -- The Lakers had won 14 of 15 games against the Warriors until Baron Davis made a three-pointer with 16.8 seconds left in Golden State’s 108-106 victory Dec. 14 in Oakland. The Lakers beat the Warriors at Staples Center a few days before that game, 123-113, with Kobe Bryant compiling 28 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Times staff writer Jonathan Abrams contributed to this report.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com