Pacers make official announcement and will look to get Bynum fit for playoffs.
Indiana Pacers center Andrew Bynum has been ruled out indefinitely due to continued soreness and swelling in his right knee.
Having acquired the 26-year-old in February after he was traded to the Chicago Bulls and immediately waived in the deal which took Luol Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Pacers have been forced to carefully manage his progress.
Bynum was released in a salary-saving move by the Bulls before signing with Indiana for the remainder of the season on a $1m deal, and has continued his efforts to play consistently by working with the team’s trainers to strengthen his knees.
However, after making his debut against the Boston Celtics on March 11, scoring eight points in 16 minutes, he missed the next game before scoring 15 points in 20 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
Nevertheless, despite his impressive numbers when on the court, Bynum has now missed the last two games and will likely face a lengthy spell on the sidelines as he looks to recover.
The towering center is expected to play a significant role in the post-season provided that he can stay healthy, with many seeing him as a key piece for the Pacers in beating defending champions Miami.
His presence inside the paint could pose a real problem for the Heat given their weakness in that area, but it will be of concern to coach Frank Vogel over whether or not Bynum will be healthy enough to feature.
The former Philadelphia 76ers man has struggled for some time with his knees, and it looks a possibility that he could sit out the majority of remainder of the regular season in order to allow his knees to recuperate.
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