EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping Karl Malone will be healthy enough to play the final 20 games of the regular season.

That would give the team and the injured forward, out since Dec. 23, sufficient time playing together to prepare for the playoffs.

Still, concern looms.

Malone's right knee has been slow to heal. Originally, it was thought he'd return Feb. 17, the first game after the All-Star break. Now, it appears Malone won't play until mid-March at the earliest.

``We have to do an extended healing process,'' coach Phil Jackson said Thursday. ``The swelling in the knee has to go down for him to heal that knee up, and it's not happening as rapidly as we wanted. ``

Malone underwent a second series of MRI tests Monday, revealing the damage still remained. The injury, first called a ligament sprain, is now being referred to as a ligament tear.

Jackson also believes Malone will quickly fit in when he returns despite playing only 24 games earlier this season.

``Knowing he's aggressive, how he plays his defense, how he runs the court will assist us in accommodating the lineup when he gets back,'' Jackson said.

The Lakers were 20-5 before the two-time NBA MVP was injured, but are 7-10 since.

Shaquille O'Neal doesn't foresee Malone struggling when he's healthy.

``Karl is going to be very eager and going to have a lot of rest,'' O'Neal said. ``And we haven't seen a Karl like that in a long time. He works out every day. He's not going to have a problem.''

The health of the two-time NBA MVP, in his first season with Los Angeles after 18 years with the Utah Jazz, isn't the only concern for the Lakers,

Kobe Bryant is still battling an aching shoulder, and he didn't practice Thursday.

The injury _ a sprain in his right shoulder joint _ kept Bryant out of the lineup for six games earlier this month. Then he returned for the last two.

O'Neal, who missed 12 games with an injured right calf, said it felt fine Thursday.

``I'm really concerned with Kobe and Shaquille,'' Jackson said. ``Our team has to start functioning with them on the court and with Kobe not being able to practice is a major problem for us right now.''

Bryant will miss next Monday's game in Indiana to attend a court hearing in Colorado in his sexual assault case.