Los Angeles Lakers small forward Nick Young (0) shoots over Brooklyn Nets small forward Paul Pierce (34) as Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd, center, looks on in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at the Barclays Center, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, in New York. The Lakers defeated the Nets 99-94. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Though he’s nursing a sprained ring finger in his left hand, Nick Young plans to play when the Lakers (8-8) visit the Detroit Pistons (6-9) tonight at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Young is expected to wear a splint on his finger after injuring it in the Lakers’ 99-94 win Wednesday over the Brooklyn Nets after Paul Pierce wacked him as he drove to the basket. X-rays turned out negative, and Lakers trainer Gary Vitti taped his finger afterwards.

Young scored a season-high 26 points against Brooklyn, and has averaged 17.8 points on 46.3 percent shooting in his past five games. But it remains to be seen how Young’s finger injury could affect his shooting stroke and ball handling, though it’s on his non-shooting hand (left).

Kobe Bryant had worn a splint on his right index finger after fracturing it during the 2009-10 season. Throughout the season, Bryant tinkered with how to play through it. That ranged from taking the splint on and off and transferring the pressure from the ball’s release to his middle finger.

RELATED:

Nick Young has sprained ring finger on left hand

Kobe Bryant defends his contract extension via Twitter

Jordan Farmar, Nick Young are Lakers’ dynamic duo

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com