LAKERS NOTEBOOK: ODOM IS TRYING TO GET A SHOT.

Byline: ROSS SILER

Staff Writer

ENVER-- No matter what team the Lakers wind up facing in the playoffs, the scouting report in regard to Lamar Odom likely will read the same: Play him to shoot.

As he plays through a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Odom's shooting has unquestionably suffered. After Monday's game against Denver, Odom has made 4 of 28 3-pointers and 49 of 80 free throws since returning from the injury.

That's 14.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 61.3 percent from the foul line, when the game stops and Odom's shoulder begins to tighten. Odom missed a key free throw Monday with 1:59 left and a chance to put the Lakers ahead by two.

"I've really been trying to focus on getting my shot off the dribble because my arm lacks a lot of strength, that I really need rhythm," Odom said. "I'm really trying to put the ball on the floor, use my ability to handle the ball to get my jump shot off."

He added: "The strength is just not the same. The more I stand still, the weaker it feels. So I figure if I can dribble into a nice little rhythm, it'll kind of help it a little bit."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he been vocal with Odom in recent games, yelling "Why?" when his forward launched an ill-considered 3-pointer. Playing with the injury, Jackson said Odom has a "responsibility" to take good shots.

"He knows that the rest of his game is very, very good right now," Jackson said. "That part of his game, we'll see where it takes him as he goes through the playoffs. He's still working on his therapy, getting his shoulder loose and able to shoot.

"He's been working on his shooting a lot actually. So we're hoping it improves. He still has to try it out. He still has to make a threat out of it."

Brown update: Kwame Brown did not make the trip to Denver and underwent an MRI on his injured left ankle. Brown reported a different pain in the ankle -- the exam revealed no additional damage -- and might not return until the playoffs.

"We may just have to sit him out," Jackson said. "That may be the recommendation that we get. A lot of it will be up to him. I'm not going to encourage him unless we say like, 'Hey, come out in Wednesday's game if we're playoff-bound and play a half so you get in a game rhythm so you feel like you're ready to go in the playoffs at full strength."'

Jackson said he considered "just for a second" starting Ronny Turiaf with Brown out and Andrew Bynum struggling before deciding against the move.

Also: The Lakers plan on having Jordan Farmar play a third and final game with the development league D-Fenders on Thursday but will limit his minutes. ... Jackson expects Vladimir Radmanovic to return from his separated shoulder Sunday against Seattle.