Jackson tackles subject of playing the rookies

During his days of collecting championships in Chicago, Phil Jackson once said, “You win with men.”

More to the point, when asked about rookies in 1993, he said, “We tell ‘em they’re lower than whale [droppings] for a while. When they prove to us they can play, then they have a step.”

But Jackson’s stance toward first-year players has apparently softened over time, so much so that he criticized past reports that painted him as a coach who turned a cold shoulder to all rookies.

“It’s just all lies,” Jackson said Monday. “It’s not [even] overblown. It’s just total lies. When you have teams that have finished first as many times as we had in Chicago and finished first in L.A. here since the very initial year, you end up with draft picks that are basically one pick above the second round.

“I always look at that as limited information that people have. [There are] guys that I’ve had that I’ve felt really happy about since I’ve been a Laker, with kind of a father’s pride.”

Of course, that led to a Jordan Farmar discussion. The rookie from UCLA made his latest audition Sunday in front of Jackson and 18,997 fans at Staples Center. After missing two games because of a sprained ankle, he had 11 points in 16 minutes against New Jersey.

For the season, Farmar, the 26th pick in this year’s draft, is averaging 5.5 points and 2.2 assists in 16.1 minutes.

“Coaches are pragmatists, for the most part,” Jackson said. “If a kid’s going to go out there in that unit and survives and plays well, they’re going to stick with him. They like to win.”

Farmar, who turns 20 on Thursday, had heard about Jackson’s tendency to not play rookies but shrugged it off.

“I can’t worry about that,” he said. “All I can do is my job every day.”

Farmar also said Jackson appeared to have at least some confidence in him.

“I think he does,” Farmar said. “He puts me in at some key moments and lets me have the opportunity to show I can play and contribute at this level.”

*

Kobe Bryant did not practice Monday, what could be a season-long theme for him when the Lakers have only one day between games.

“In between games where he’s played 40 minutes, like he did [Sunday] night, he’s going to take some rest,” Jackson said. “I think it’s just something that he should do for his career.”

*

Jackson was contacted Monday by a member of the NBA’s business operations office after he criticized referees after the Lakers’ 114-108 loss Friday to Utah.

Jackson, who might be fined for his comments, was irritated by a traveling call on center Andrew Bynum and a non-call after the 19-year-old was slapped on the wrist by Utah center Mehmet Okur.

A day later, he said the league “throws out some referee corps that you’re dubious about to start with and, you know, the game ends up like that.”

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak had not heard from the league office regarding a fine by Monday night, team spokesman John Black said.

*

The starting four have been told to look harder for the starting teenager. “We took a little film session with the first unit about how we have to get the ball in there,” Jackson said.... Kwame Brown flew home Monday to Georgia to spend time with his ailing mother. He is expected to play tonight against Milwaukee.

TONIGHT

vs. Milwaukee, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570; 1330.

Records -- Lakers 9-4; Bucks 4-9.

Record vs. Bucks (2005-06) -- 2-0.

Update -- The Bucks, on a 2-8 skid, have been playing without starting forwards forward Bobby Simmons (injured heel) and Charlie Villanueva (elbow).

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com