Utah's back. Kobe Bryant says he will be, too.
A series is now a series, which meant all eyes turned to the newest MVP as he took it easy Monday, resting his back in lieu of risking further flare-ups of the kind that floored him a couple of times in Game 4.
Bryant, listed as day-to-day because of lower back spasms, says he'll be ready Wednesday for Game 5, though it's unclear if he'll be fully healthy, partially healthy, somewhere in between or somewhere the Lakers don't even want to think about.
"I'll play. I can't imagine it being worse than it was" Sunday night, Bryant said.
If it isn't better, it won't be from a lack of trying.
Bryant will be going through an active treatment cycle from now until game time -- electro-stimulation, ice, heat, massage therapy, stretching, everything but an actual back transplant.
He hurt his back while shooting a turnaround jumper on the Lakers' second possession of Game 4, managed to score 33 points, but lost his shooting touch down the stretch, missing 11 of 13 shots in the fourth quarter and overtime of the Lakers' 123-115 loss to the Jazz.
He acknowledged a day later that his jumping ability had been limited, in case it wasn't obvious to the naked eye.
"I just tried to shortcut it a little bit," he said. "I think they kind of saw that I was just basically trying to get room and shoot jump shots and not drive. A couple of times, I tried to venture in and drive to the basket, but my back just couldn't take it."
Even though the Lakers suddenly found themselves in a 2-2 tussle with the Jazz, it was tough to tell which battle held greater weight Monday: Lakers vs. Utah or Bryant vs. back spasms.
Coach Phil Jackson even feigned surprise that the first question from reporters was about Bryant, not the team in general.
"That's the first question we're going to have today in this session?" he said.
And the second, and the third, and onward from there.
It was a new injury for Bryant, who said he hadn't dealt with back issues since he was 21, eight long years ago. The timing couldn't be worse with Utah winning two games at home to tie the series.
The Lakers haven't lost three consecutive games since January, when San Antonio, Dallas and Cleveland tripped them up as they were adjusting to life without Andrew Bynum.
A loss Wednesday could lead to the end of their season Friday in Utah.
