LOS ANGELES (AFP) - National Basketball Association season Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant says he will be ready to play on Wednesday when the Los Angeles Lakers face the Utah Jazz in a pivotal playoff game.

The Lakers superstar guard hurt his back in a 123-115 overtime loss Sunday at Utah, a result that evened the second round Western Conference best-of-seven playoff series at two triumphs each.

But Bryant, who scored a game-high 33 points Sunday, dispelled any notion that the injury, suffered on the second possession of the game while making a turnaround jumper, would hinder him in game five the way it did in game four.

"I'll play," Bryant said. "I can't imagine it being worse than what it was. It's stiff. It's tight. I just treat it around the clock and get it as ready as possible."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson expects a higher performance from his club even if Bryant is not at peak form due to back spasms.

"What I have to do is prepare this team to play," Jackson said. "We still think (Bryant is) efficient in what he did and what we did as a basketball team."

Bryant went only 1-of-7 from the field in the fourth quarter and overtime after hitting 25 points in the first three quarters.

"You've got to make some adjustments," Bryant said. "You can't run like you want to, cut like you want to."