Los Angeles Lakers' Dwight Howard reaches down to help up teammate Kobe Bryant after he was injured in the final seconds of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, in Atlanta. The Hawks defeated the Lakers 96-92. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)
Los Angeles Lakers' Dwight Howard reaches down to help up teammate Kobe Bryant after he was injured in the final seconds of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, in Atlanta. The Hawks defeated the Lakers 96-92. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)
Los Angeles Lakers' Dwight Howard leans over teammate Kobe Bryant lays on the floor after being injured in the final seconds of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, in Atlanta. The Hawks defeated the Lakers 96-92. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) comes up with a loose ball in front of Atlanta Hawks forward Anthony Tolliver (4) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Atlanta Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) loses control of the ball as he drives to the basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) goes up for a shot as Atlanta Hawks forward Ivan Johnson (44) defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Atlanta Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Kobe Bryant may be back on the court sooner than anyone expected ? perhaps in time for Friday night's game at Indiana.
The Lakers' star received more treatment on his severely sprained left ankle at the team's morning shootaround. Afterward, coach Mike D'Antoni said he had not yet decided whether Bryant would play against the Pacers.
"He's a game-time decision," D'Antoni said. "The thing about it is that if he's getting treatment, he's getting better every day, so we'll see."
Bryant did not speak to reporters after spending the past two days going through round-the-clock treatments for what he described as the worst sprained ankle of his career.
Initially, the Lakers feared the worst for a player with great recuperative powers and said he would be out indefinitely. Bryant landed on the foot of Dahntay Jones in the closing seconds of Wednesday's 96-92 loss in Atlanta. Bryant stayed down and writhed in pain.
He later complained that a foul should have been called, and NBA officials agreed with that assessment. They issued a statement Thursday that said he referees missed the call, something D'Antoni said he agreed with after watching the replays. But D'Antoni said he did not believe Jones was intentionally trying to hurt Bryant.
Bryant's list of accomplishments is extraordinary: five NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one league MVP. He has played in the second most All-Star games (15) in league history and is No. 5 on the career scoring list.
But the most impressive part of the 34-year-old's resume might be his durability. He hasn't missed a game since the 2009-10 season and has missed only 148 games of a possible 1,227 during 17 NBA seasons.
So it's no wonder the Lakers were delaying the decision. The only hint Bryant may not play came when D'Antoni responded to a question about who would replace Bryant in the lineup. D'Antoni said that job would go to Jodie Meeks.
Even the Pacers don't expect that to happen.
"We'll be ready," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "If he goes, there's not anybody able to overcome injuries as well as he has, so we'll be ready for Kobe at full strength."
The possibility of getting Bryant sooner than expected wasn't the only good news on the Lakers' injury front Friday.
D'Antoni said Pau Gasol could return as soon as Monday at Phoenix, and Gasol could be in the starting lineup against the Suns, too. The forward from Spain has been recovering from a torn plantar fascia in his right foot since early February. Gasol spent the last part of the shootaround working one-one-one against center Dwight Howard.
But the focus Friday was on one swollen ankle that D'Antoni hasn't even taken a peek at yet.
"I think if you look at his tweets, you'll see it," he said, drawing laughter.
The Lakers need Bryant to continue their surge toward the playoffs.
He is the NBA's third-leading scorer at 27.5 points and has helped stabilize his team during a tumultuous season that has included the early firing of coach Mike Brown, a prolonged skid, All-Star center Dwight Howard's struggles to fit in with his new team, and the death of owner Jerry Buss.
The Lakers (34-32) have won 17 of their last 24 games to move into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Utah (33-32) trails the Lakers by a half game.
If Bryant misses any substantial time, Los Angeles knows it could again be a struggle to make the playoffs. But nobody is anticipating that.
Bryant has routinely played with sprained fingers, still hitting his array of shots. Teammates usually play down the notion that any injury could sideline Bryant for significant time.
"That's not the Kobe I know," Steve Nash said. "We'll see how he feels. ... This is his team and everyone respects him."
___
Associated Press sports writer Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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