Jackson digs deep for motivation

Seeing as how the present isn’t going too well for the Lakers, Coach Phil Jackson brought up the past as a possible blueprint for playoff motivation.

He didn’t invoke the six championships won by his Chicago teams in the 1990s, or even the three titles won by the Lakers earlier this decade, but, rather, the 1978 Washington Bullets and the 1981 Houston Rockets.

His point: Teams can acquire momentum late in the season.

“I have seen teams do that,” he said. “I think [Washington] won it with a 46-38 record or something like that. Houston was a team that went to the NBA Finals against the Celtics. I think they were a 42-38 team, or 44-38. That’s happened.”

Jackson was off the mark on the records of the Bullets and Rockets, but his overall historical context was accurate.

The Bullets, with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak averaging 15.9 points, were 44-38 in the regular season before catching fire in the playoffs and beating Seattle in the championship. The Rockets were 40-42 but advanced to the NBA Finals before losing to Boston.

Still, Jackson wouldn’t necessarily wager on success in the playoffs, assuming the Lakers make it to the postseason.

“We’re confident we can go into the playoffs and do some things that are good,” he said. “I don’t know if we’re going to win a playoff series right now if I was to bet on it, but I would say we’re going to play. We’re going to be there and play the game.”

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Forward Vladimir Radmanovic practiced for the first time since sustaining a separated right shoulder while snowboarding during the All-Star break.

Radmanovic, who has missed 24 games and was fined $500,000 by the team for violating his contract, will probably suit up Thursday against the Clippers, but it will be up to Jackson if he plays.

“It’s been a rough season for me, obviously, and really frustrating,” Radmanovic said. “But I’ll try to put everything behind me and have this as a new start.”

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Jackson was non-committal when asked if the Lakers would employ the zone defense more often, a tactic that slowed Denver in the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 115-111 victory Monday.

“It was successful against that team and on that situation, but it wasn’t a win,” Jackson said. “I think it’s a bail-out situation, but we had to be bailed out [Monday] night. We couldn’t stop the penetration.”

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Dwyane Wade might need shoulder surgery and LeBron James has been waffling, but the Lakers have two players who will represent the U.S. this summer in an Olympic qualifying tournament.

Maybe.

Kobe Bryant said he was still firmly committed to playing for Team USA, but Lamar Odom has a more questionable situation because of the torn labrum in his left shoulder.

“As of now, I’m going,” Odom said. “It depends on the MRI on my shoulder. If I have to get surgery, I won’t be able to go. If it heals and it feels good enough to where I can play, I’ll play.”

The U.S. team convenes in late August in Las Vegas for two weeks at the Tournament of the Americas. Odom and Bryant agreed to a three-summer commitment last year as part of Team USA’s increased requirements leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but Bryant could not play last summer because he had surgery on his knee and Odom did not play after the death of his infant son.

Bryant, who has remained in contact this season with U.S. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, reaffirmed his commitment this week.

“I’m playing,” he said. “I can’t wait. I got a message [Monday] from Coach K, just offering encouragement. I’m ready to go.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com