He’s out to prove that he’s no flake

After being little more than a punch line last season, Vladimir Radmanovic is trying to punch back.

Ridiculed nationwide for his ill-conceived snowboarding excursion during last season’s All-Star break, Radmanovic had his best game with the Lakers on Friday in Phoenix, scoring a team-high 19 points and hitting all four of his three-point attempts.

He followed it up with nine points Sunday against Utah.

The key for him, as usual, will be consistency.

“Vlade has those kind of nights,” Coach Phil Jackson said, referring to Radmanovic’s outburst against Phoenix. “You just hope that it’s that kind of night more often. Instead of once or twice a month, you hope for once or twice a week.”

Radmanovic, 26, had only one or two all last season.

He was slowed by a sprained ligament in his right hand before last season began and was later called a “space cadet” by Jackson after failing to grasp the nuances of the triangle offense.

Then came Park City.

Radmanovic became talk-radio material for days after coming back from the Utah ski resort in February with a separated right shoulder that he initially claimed was caused by slipping on a patch of ice while crossing the street.

He eventually admitted he lied about the cause of his injury and was fined $500,000 while sitting out almost two months to let his shoulder heal. His first season with the Lakers was a total washout after he signed a five-year, $30.2-million free-agent contract. He averaged 6.6 points in 55 regular-season games, career lows in both categories.

Now he is seeking to make amends.

“I didn’t have a chance to play in the playoffs last year against Phoenix. I felt a little regret for that, but it’s a new season, new start,” he said. “I’m just trying to make something good happen.”

Is there room enough for another high-profile coach in Los Angeles?

Jackson thinks so.

“I think it’s great for the Dodgers,” he said of the Joe Torre hire. “This year’s Dodgers effort, they had a great run to the middle of the season and then that, whatever, didn’t glue it together at the end and they lost the West. This is a situation where a guy like Joe perhaps can give them that experience and the ability to glue the team together in the stretch.”

Jackson even expressed a modicum of jealousy.

“How many coaches did he get to hire?” he said, with a trace of sarcasm. “Fifteen? Twelve?”

Rookie guards Javaris Crittenton and Coby Karl were on the inactive list Sunday against Utah, as was forward Lamar Odom.

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com