SAN JOSE — Squeezing in their last jabs, lawyers for Apple alleged that Samsung executives never appeared in court because they did not dare reveal their real aim for the retrial: a verdict that split the difference.

Since the parties reunited in U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh’s courtroom last week to hash out damages, Samsung has repeatedly asked jurors to award $52 million—nearly $330 million less than what Apple says it is entitled to.