INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger's ankle is swollen "like a small softball" and he's on "every type of anti-inflammatory" he's ever heard of, but he plans to play Game 6 Thursday night as his team faces elimination against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Granger sprained his left ankle Tuesday in the first half of the Pacers' 32-point Game 5 loss when he came down on LeBron James' foot after a shot attempt. He attempted to return but didn't last long and has been in a walking boot. But with the season on the line, he's going to try to play through it.

"I have to play," Granger said. "With an elimination game, our backs against the wall, I have to play."

Granger said he might consider taking a numbing injection before the game if the pain is too great. He tried that once in college and didn't like the results. He's hoping adrenaline will help with the pain.

Granger is the Pacers' primary defender on James and said he expects the Heat star to target him early in the game to test his mobility.

"Logic would tell you he would," Granger said. "I know when we know a player has an injury, it's definitely in our mind and we attack it. So I'm sure he will. He's been in attack mode anyway, and I'm sure he'll be even more in attack mode knowing that I'm limited. But I rise to the challenge."

Granger was the Pacers' leading scorer at 18.7 points per game during the regular season. He had 10 points in 20 minutes of the Heat's 115-83 win Tuesday. He's averaging 18.7 points per game in the series.