Williams is ready to play if Kobe decides to sit

NEW ORLEANS — Deron Williams made a plea on Friday.

"Kobe," he said, "just go ahead and sit out, man. ... Let me get in there."

It remains to be seen, however, if Williams will realize his goal of being named an NBA All-Star this season.

Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers' star, still doesn't want to play in Sunday's showcase. But the league is still making it clear it does.

And while it was looking more and more Saturday like the NBA will get its way, there's still a possibility Bryant will back out — which could open the door for the Jazz point guard to be named a replacement selection.

"I would hope they would, but there's nothing I can do about it," Bryant said when asked if the NBA, considering the two-time All-Star MVP's past experience in the game, should cut him a break.

"You've just got to go with the flow," said Bryant, who is citing a dislocated finger that will require offseason surgery for the reason he wants out. "I'm not complaining about it. I'm not worried about it. If I need to play, I'll play. If they don't mind me sitting out and resting and doing treatment on my hand, I appreciate that."

Bryant, hopeful of a playoff push for the Lakers after their recent acquisition of Memphis big man Pau Gasol, also on Friday defended his decision to not have surgery right away.

"Just the timing and the rhythm that we have and the opportunity that we have," he said, "it's just a smarter decision to continue to play.

"Dr. (Jerry) Buss (the Lakers' owner), he'd prefer me to go ahead and have the surgery because he's concerned about my hand post-career, and I appreciate that," added Bryant, who also has a complete ligament tear in his right pinkie. "But we want to get things done (on the court) now."

Bryant suggested that because he played in the Lakers' last game before the All-Star break, he is in jeopardy of being suspended should he not play Sunday.

"We just want to do the smart thing," he said. "I mean, we don't want to face a suspension coming out — so you just have got to fall within the rules here and try to do it."

Brian McIntyre, the NBA's senior vice president for basketball communications, suggested there is no hard and fast rule regarding participation.

"If they're playing in the regular season," he said, "we expect them to be here."