The pain was in Karl Malone's tone and his delivery as much as his right ankle. He was moody, terse, distant. But also determined.

As the Lakers' injured players took turns giving updates -- all offering various assurances they would be OK for today's playoff opener -- Malone was the most confident and the most tense.

It was tough enough to bear 39 games on the injured list this season, but worse still to consider sitting out when his goal of a championship is so close.

"Let's just say this right here. I came here for this, and you'd have to shoot me in the head for me not to play," Malone said, almost angrily. "So let's get that out of the way right now. The end. The end of the story."