Grizzlies' Gasol aims for pre-playoff return

Injured Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol plans to be back on the floor before the regular season ends next month.

Gasol is sidelined with a torn abdominal muscle that he tried to play through this month until it became worse during a March 22 game against New Orleans.

"We're going to try to keep (treating it), and when it feels good and gets better, I'll get out there," Gasol told the Commercial-Appeal in Memphis. "I don't care if it hurts a little bit. I have no problem with that. We're going with indefinite. But it's going to go game by game, day by day."

Gasol is averaging 14.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season.

"I was playing anywhere from 60-65 percent before New Orleans," Gasol said. "I felt like it wasn't getting better. I felt pain and I was ineffective rebounding the ball. I lost all of my explosiveness. It just hurt real bad. When we did the test it was obvious."