Pacers' Danny Granger won't let ankle sprain stop him - USA TODAY

By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY

Updated

INDIANAPOLIS â€" Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger said his sprained left ankle swelled the size of a "small softball, maybe a baseball," but he will start for the Pacers against the Miami Heat in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series tonight.

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  Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE, Steve Mitchell, US Presswire

  Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger won't let an ankle sprain keep him out of Game 6 vs. the Miami Heat on Thursday.

Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE, Steve Mitchell, US Presswire

Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger won't let an ankle sprain keep him out of Game 6 vs. the Miami Heat on Thursday.

"I'm a notorious 'swell' anyways," he said.

Granger rolled the ankle late in the second quarter of Game 5 when he landed on LeBron James' foot after shooting a jump shot, and rolled it again early in the third quarter trying to stop James in transition. Granger left the game and didn't return.

"I have to play," he said. "The regular season is a different story. You play 82 games, you don't have to worry about missing one or two. With an elimination game, our backs against the wall, I really have to play."

Granger will be limited but he doesn't by know how much yet.

"With an ankle sprain, you're always limited. The good thing about a game is the adrenaline kicks in," he said. "It's definitely not a high ankle sprain, thank goodness. I don't know if I'd be playing. It's just a regular ankle sprain. It has swelling in it. We'll tape it up, put an ankle brace on it, and I'll get out there."

Pacers coach Frank Vogel said his plan is to give Granger his normal minutes (about 40 per game in the playoffs), but will pay close attention to his movement.

"We'll see how he's moving out there. He thinks he's going to be OK and not limited. But he's very sore, so we'll see how he is," Vogel said.

Granger's treatment: Rest, staying off his feet, ice and "every type of anti-inflammatory I've ever heard of, I'm on. … There's nothing you can do. We only have two days. The only time I really had to rest was yesterday. We'll just have to go with it and see how it goes."

It will be a challenge for the Granger, whose defensive task is to limit James, and that hasn't been easy. James is averaging 30.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, six assists and 2.6 steals in this series. Granger expects James to attack him and his not-quite-100% ankle.

"Logic would tell you he would," Granger said. "I know when we know a player has an injury, it's definitely in our mind and we attack it. So I'm sure he will.

"He's been in attack mode anyway, and I'm sure he'll be even more in attack mode knowing that I'm limited. But I rise to the challenge."

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