LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher got tangled up under the basket with the Charlotte Bobcats' Kwame Brown in the third quarter of the Lakers' 92-84 win Friday and suffered a sprained left elbow.
The 15-year veteran was re-evaluated Saturday before the team flew to San Antonio to begin a four-game road trip. Fisher received treatment from Lakers trainer Gary Vitti and practiced with the team. The Lakers said his status for Sunday's game against the Spurs is probable.
"It obviously is going to create some kind of trauma in his arm, elbow, etc., maybe shoulder even," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said after the game Friday. "We're concerned about it."
Fisher's left arm became interlocked with Brown's as the two fought for a rebound with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 61-47. Fisher was called for a foul and then fell to the floor in pain after Brown wrestled the ball away following the whistle.
"It was just a play that happened," said Brown, a former teammate of Fisher's in L.A., following the game. "It was nothing big or malicious. He got his hand caught. It was nothing. Fish is going to be fine; he's a big boy."
Fisher left the game and did not return, despite lobbying his case to remain on the court.
"He didn't want to come out of the game," Shannon Brown said about Fisher. "Coach, it was his call. Fish wasn't happy about it, but I'm sure it's probably going to help."
Said Jackson: "I wanted to get him back and get him icing his arm as soon as possible so that he'll be ready on Sunday."
If the elbow causes Fisher to miss Sunday's game against the Spurs, his league-leading iron man streak of 476 consecutive games played (dating back to April 15, 2005) will come to an end.
The team seemed confident Fisher will play, however.
"I think he'll be ready," Jackson said. "He's strong as an ox so I think that he's got enough strength to probably hold it together."
Added Shannon Brown: "Fish is a tough guy, we all know that. Unless [his arm is] actually detached, he's definitely going to be out there playing."
Fisher, averaging 6.7 points and 2.7 assists per game on the season while shooting 39.1 percent from the field, had slightly upped his offensive output to 7.8 points on 40 percent shooting in the Lakers' five-game winning streak coming out of the All-Star break.
Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Follow him on Twitter.