Andrew Bynum will play in his first NBA game in three months when he makes his debut with the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday against the visiting Boston Celtics.
"Andrew's going to play tonight," Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters after the team's shootaround. "It was really nothing that we saw with Andrew that made us decide. It was just a matter of meeting with [team president] Larry [Bird], seeing where our team is.
"I think he can give us a little bit of an emotional jolt with us losing four in a row combined with [backup center] Ian [Mahinmi] being banged up. Ian probably wouldn't be able to play if we needed him to play [due to a bruised rib]."
Bynum, who was traded from Cleveland to Chicago on Jan. 7, then cut the next day in a salary-saving move, signed with Indiana in early February. He's worked with trainers to strengthen his oft-injured knees.
This will be only the second game Mahinmi has missed all season. Point guard C.J. Watson is also out, missing his fourth straight game with a right elbow sprain.
