Lakers need all the help they can get

Craig Hodges still owns a crackling outside shot, and Brian Shaw looked almost as sharp as he did when he was helping the Lakers win championships earlier this decade.

Indeed, in a state-of-the-franchise moment, two of the Lakers’ assistant coaches were pulled into duty to scrimmage at Monday’s practice. They weren’t exactly signed to 10-day player contracts, but they served as symbols of a limping, struggling organization that looks nothing like the team that was 26-13 after a rousing mid-January victory at San Antonio.

Now 33-31, the Lakers are clinging desperately to sixth place in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Denver Nuggets.

Their crushing 108-72 loss Sunday to Dallas was their worst home defeat since moving from Minneapolis 47 years ago. If not for Jordan Farmar’s late 19-footer, they would have tied the L.A. franchise record for fewest points in a game.

Assistant coach Kurt Rambis, who was not asked to scrimmage, caught the flavor of the franchise with one observation.

“It’s frustrating for everybody -- the coaches, the players, and I’m sure Dr. [Jerry] Buss isn’t too happy right now, either,” he said.

The Lakers were once the surprise story of the season, overcoming injury after injury on the way to a strong start that led to whispers about Phil Jackson doing a coach-of-the-year number.

Now they’re experiencing their second six-game losing streak in five weeks. A first-round matchup against Dallas, Phoenix or San Antonio is practically guaranteed ... assuming the Lakers make the playoffs.

It’s been so bad that Jackson said the $10-million-a-year job was wearing him down.

“I considered retirement just last week when we were on this losing streak,” he said, presumably joking, although he seemed more serious after Sunday’s loss when he said, “Jesus Christ could come back and we still wouldn’t have a chance because we’ve ruined the mix by not playing together.”

The Lakers, desperate for No. 2 and No. 3 options because Kobe Bryant has been double-teamed into some poor efforts recently, are hoping Lamar Odom and Luke Walton can be their short-term saviors.

Odom returned much faster than expected after missing only five games because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He practiced Monday, looked very active, and will play Thursday against Denver. He was seen blocking shots, hoisting three-point attempts (somewhat inaccurately), banging down low with Andrew Bynum and even hitting a right-handed layup.

“I thought he looked good aggression-wise,” Rambis said. “He was rebounding, attacking. That let us know that at least mentally, he’s ready to go and ready to challenge the shoulder.”

Odom said the tear wasn’t as bad as one he had in the same shoulder two years ago, although surgery is 90% likely after the season, a team source said.

“An injury can happen anytime ... so I’m just going to go out there and give it my all,” said Odom, who reported feeling no pain after Monday’s practice. “I feel comfortable coming back.”

Walton will also play Thursday after missing 21 games because of a sprained right ankle and ankle tendinitis. He was averaging 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists a game when he landed on Bynum’s foot during a Jan. 26 loss to Charlotte.

Injuries aside, there might be other lineup developments, starting with Kwame Brown finally starting at center, assuming he’s on time to Thursday’s shoot-around.

There will not, however, be any changes at point guard despite Smush Parker’s continued slump.

“No one came out and played well enough for me to say, ‘There’s someone else right here to take his job,’ ” Jackson said after Sunday’s loss. “Smush has been able to hang onto this job because he’s done an adequate job and nobody else has been able to replace him.”

The Lakers’ schedule does not appear daunting down the stretch; their next seven games are against sub-.500 teams -- Denver, Portland, Minnesota, Memphis, New Orleans, Golden State and Memphis again. They also play 11 of their final 18 games at home.

Still, Walton’s observations from the sideline in recent days are what many Lakers fans also see.

“[Sunday] night was embarrassing,” he said. “That’s not what the Lakers are about. We have to all start buying into the offense again. We’re not playing team defense.”

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Bryant was officially given a Flagrant Foul I by the league Monday, but was neither fined nor suspended for elbowing Kyle Korver in the jaw while dribbling down court in Friday’s loss to Philadelphia. Bryant has been suspended twice this season for striking opponents in the face after shooting.

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com