Lakers make the Spurs feel their pain

It can never be overlooked when the Lakers win without Bryant, who watched the game from the locker room after receiving treatment for a sprained left ankle. An MRI exam earlier in the day confirmed a sprain.

"I can't push off of it," he said. "It's just as simple as that. I can't move."

The NBA doesn't like its players sitting out the All-Star game, but if Bryant doesn't play Wednesday at Utah, he probably has the option of sitting out Sunday's game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

If he continues to stay off the court, Bryant will pocket a total of 10 days' rest before the Lakers' first game after the break, next Tuesday against Golden State.

"I think if he feels like he can play [against Utah], he's going to play," Jackson said. "We talked about it before. If he felt like playing was going to be detrimental to his overall game or his athletic ability, he'd not play. That's a choice he'll make on Wednesday."