They’ve still got Memphis blues

The Lakers showed up for practice Thursday and were not kicked out again by their coach.

But Phil Jackson’s words still resonated a day after he let players know, in not too many kind phrases, that their performance in an 88-86 loss Tuesday to Memphis was fully unacceptable.

“He was as mad as I’ve ever seen him,” forward Luke Walton said. “He always stays pretty level throughout -- that’s his thing -- but when we came in [Wednesday], you could tell he was upset, and he had the right to be upset. We’re in a playoff race, we’d been on a five-game win streak and we come and let a young team with a lot of their stars not even playing hang around and beat us on our home court this late in the season. That’s not acceptable.”

Practice moved briskly Thursday and met the approval of Jackson, whose tone differed from Wednesday’s rant in which he sent the players home after ripping their effort against Memphis by saying, “That’s not the way we act [as far as] being a Laker.”

A victory tonight against the Houston Rockets, who are fighting Utah for fourth in the Western Conference, would help erase the Lakers’ loss to the league’s worst team.

Or maybe not.

“I don’t think so,” forward Lamar Odom said. “It will take a numerous amount of wins. We need a streak again to get going against quality teams. We have Denver coming up, the Clippers, teams that are fighting for playoff spots. We need to put a streak together.”

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Kobe Bryant could become the first Laker since the team moved from Minneapolis in 1960 to lead the league in scoring in consecutive seasons.

Bryant is averaging 30.8 points a game and has gradually distanced himself from Denver forward Carmelo Anthony (29 points a game). Washington guard Gilbert Arenas and injured Miami guard Dwyane Wade are averaging 28.8 points a game.

Bryant won his first scoring title by averaging 35.4 points last season.

George Mikan led the league in scoring three consecutive seasons (1948-49, 1949-50, 1950-51) when the Lakers were still in Minneapolis.

Two other Lakers have won scoring titles: Shaquille O’Neal (29.7 points a game in 1999-2000) and Jerry West (31.2 points a game in 1969-70).

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One facet of Odom’s game has dropped significantly since he began playing with a torn labrum in his left shoulder -- his outside shot.

He has missed all 15 of his three-point attempts in the seven games he has played with the injury.

“If I’m open, I’m going to take the shots. I won’t stop taking them because I’m not making them,” he said. “It hurts when I drive as well as when I shoot. I’m out there playing and competing. That’s all I can do.”

Odom is averaging 14.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and six assists, and, despite his three-point shooting woes, is making 53.9% of his shots since returning March 15.

TONIGHT

vs. Houston, 7:30, FSN West, ESPN

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570; 1330.

Records -- Lakers 38-33; Rockets 46-26.

Record vs. Rockets -- 2-1.

Update -- The Rockets have won 10 of their last 12 games, including a 92-87 victory Wednesday over the Clippers at Staples Center. Yao Ming (24.5) and Tracy McGrady (24.3) are 13th and 14th in the league in scoring.

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