Kobe Bryant swayed back and forth after the game, doing whatever he could to relieve the pain from the back spasms that took him down during the Lakers' loss to the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night.
He first felt his back go out early in the first quarter. He went to the locker room for treatment, played in the second and third quarters, but had to shut it down in the fourth.
Now the game was over and Bryant was trying to deal with the pain.
"I've felt better," he said.
Bryant said his back felt tight before the game, but nothing more than his usual feeling.
But after he made a 14-foot bank shot over Manu Ginobili with 3:27 left in the first quarter, Bryant felt the pain shoot through his body.
Bryant already was playing with an avulsion fracture on his right index finger.
Pau Gasol missed his fifth consecutive game with a strained left hamstring. Ron Artest suffered a sprained right index finger against the Spurs, Sasha Vujacic suffered a strained right hamstring against the Spurs and Luke Walton played in his first game in eight weeks after being out with a pinched nerve in his back.
Bryant was asked if he was concerned about his team's injuries.
"No," Bryant said. "It's part of the business. I won't allow my guys to even think about that or have the attitude. Pull up your boots, get ready to play."
Bryant said he was "pretty sure" that he would play Wednesday night against the Mavericks.
He said he knew he faced a difficult flight from San Antonio to Dallas Tuesday night.
"It doesn't make it easier," Bryant said, trying to smile. "I'm not going to drive my [butt] to Dallas, that's for sure."
The Lakers have lost four consecutive road games, three by double-digits.
They have lost three of their last four games.
Dallas won't be any easier.
"This is just a period in the season right now where it's a tough stretch," Bryant said. "But you have those every once in a while."
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