Malone, Payton near end of careers

Both Lakers are mulling retirement, and tonight's game may be their finale.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Karl Malone and Gary Payton didn't sign on for this -- an injury to one and frustration for the other.
Far closer to the end of their careers than the beginning, the future Hall of Fame members joined the Los Angeles Lakers at discount prices last summer hoping to win championship rings for the first time.
That seems unlikely now, since no team has rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals.
"It would have been harder if we hadn't gotten here," Payton said Monday. "I still say we haven't played well yet."
Although neither player is able to make his normal contribution, both remain optimistic. Neither would speak of tonight's game as perhaps being their last with the Lakers.
"I don't want to answer if it ends tomorrow -- I don't want to think about that," Malone said.
"I don't think it's going to be my last game with the Lakers," Payton said. "I think we'll come back. I'm going to have to think about [leaving] over the summer."
They can both opt out of their contracts with the Lakers. At age 40, Malone is mulling retirement, too.
Injured in Game 2
It's not a stretch to believe things might be different had Malone not injured his right knee in Game 2. The Lakers have called it a sprained medial collateral ligament; Malone believes it's a tear, like the one he sustained in December.
Malone was limited to 18 minutes in Game 3 and 21 in Game 4 -- both victories for the Pistons.
"It would be a big difference if Karl was 100 percent. We know that," assistant coach Tex Winter said.
"It's hurting us, very much," Payton said. "He's coming in, he's keeping everybody's spirits up. That's the kind of guy he is."
Ever stoic, Malone plays on -- at least until he can't go any longer, which happened midway through the third period in each of the last two games.
"This is not the way you would like the script to go," he said. "I've done everything you can think of. It's just not responding.
"It's not about age. It's about injury."
Played in every game
Payton has played in each of the Lakers' 103 games this season -- 82 in the regular season and 21 in the playoffs. Admittedly, it's been a struggle because of a new system.
"I'm living with it. I can't gripe and grind right now," he said. "Don't complain about it, don't cry about it."
Some say the Lakers have been fraught with dissension. Malone said such talk is exaggerated.
"We've been through enough that it's brought us together, no matter what anybody says," Malone said. "Except for the injuries, I wouldn't change a thing."