Lakers’ Kobe Bryant to play Sunday against Wizards, D’Angelo Russell is doubtful

D’Angelo Russell shuffled across the Lakers’ practice court Saturday wearing brown house slippers, his sprained right ankle taped, his status for Sunday night’s game against Washington being called doubtful.

On the flip side, Kobe Bryant told Lakers Coach Byron Scott that he will play against the Wizards and that his plan is to play Monday night in Utah in a back-to-back game despite dealing with a sore right shoulder that has limited his availability at times.

Russell didn’t practice Saturday, but he got treatment at the team’s practice facility.

Scott said Russell will get more treatment on the ankle Sunday and then will “go through a series of exercises” at Staples Center to see how the injury responds.

Scott said Lakers head athletic trainer Gary Vitti said the team didn’t think there was going to be any “long-term” issues with Russell’s ankle.

“He said the good sign is that he doesn’t have a bunch of swelling,” Scott said. “It’s not all puffy, which is the swelling. But he said [Russell] was able to walk on it. But walking and running and cutting are two different things.”

Russell was injured in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night when he stepped on the foot of Denver guard D.J. Augustin.

Russell rolled the ankle and stayed on the court for a while until he was carried into the Lakers locker room by two teammates.

Russell was seen walking around with a slight limp during practice Saturday.

“I’ve got to be able to see him run around with no pain, without limping at all,” Scott said. “We’ve got one main test that we do towards the end of all the other stuff that he has to do. And if he passes that, great. If he doesn’t, then he probably won’t play tomorrow.

“I don’t know what his pain threshold is. I know the last time that he hurt it, he didn’t miss a whole lot of time so that’s good news. We’re hoping the same thing happens this time as well.”

The Lakers have 10 regular-season games left, and it is the goal of Bryant’s to play in every one of them in his final season before he retires.

Scott said he “thinks there’s a chance” Bryant can play in those games

“He wants to,” Scott said. “So that’s half the battle. You guys know Kobe. When he wants to, it takes a serious injury to keep him out. So, I could foresee him playing in these last 10 games.

“Hopefully everything stays the same, the status quo as it has been the last couple of games as far as his shoulder is concerned. But I’m also afraid that we’ve got three [games] in the next four days, that that might start to wear on him a little bit. But I’m hoping it doesn’t.”

NEXT UP

VS. WASHINGTON

When: 6:30.

Where: Staples Center.

On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330.

Records: Lakers 15-57; Wizards 35-37.

Record vs. Wizards: 1-0.

Update: It has been a disappointing season for the Wizards, who were 3 1/2 games out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference going into Saturday. The Wizards allow 104.6 points per game, tied for the 21st highest in the NBA. Guard John Wall is third in the league in assists, averaging 10.1 per game.

Follow Broderick Turner on Twitter: @BA_Turner