Bynum could make a difference on defense for Pacers

His banner may already hang inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but it will be a few weeks before Andrew Bynum actually wears the No. 17 jersey. However, when Bynum does make his debut as an Indiana Pacer, the team can expect a 7-1, 285-pounder who can work off teammates as well as create his own low-post shot, a big whose defensive influence on the game expanded as his minutes increased and quite possibly a player who should rate as the best backup center in the NBA.

Although Bynum still carries the question marks of chemistry and health concerns, the Pacers are betting that he will still plug in the areas in which they needed an upgrade.

Or, as Larry Bird, team president of basketball operations, simply put it: "He's big. He can help us, and that's all that matters."

Bynum showed enough in only 480 minutes played this season to encourage the Pacers to reportedly sign him for $1 million for the rest of the season, according to USA Today.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bynum came off the bench in his first five games but started the final 19. Over time, Bynum looked closer to the player who easily could've commanded a maximum contract had it not been for his consistent knee injuries. Bynum has undergone several procedures and surgeries to strengthen both knees, with the most recent one coming last March with season-ending arthroscopic surgery to clean out debris. That particular operation ended his short time with the Philadelphia 76ers, and last summer, Bynum signed with the Cavaliers.

In Cleveland, Bynum averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds over the 24 games, performing the best during the middle stretch of games before the train wreck finale when the Cavaliers suspended him Dec. 28 for "conduct detrimental to the team."

During that time, Bynum's minutes spiked by more than six points and so did his field goal percentage (46.9 percent) as he contributed 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds. Also, Bynum showed a bit of his offensive toolbox as he made 23 shots off teammates' assists but also 24 unassisted.

"I think he's one of the top centers in this league," Paul George said of Bynum, who has played at the "highest level" of the NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Pacers also are banking on Bynum's defense as the anchor of the second unit. At the start of December, the Cavaliers won four of five games and from the perspective of the Pacers, they could have been most impressed by Bynum's presence in the Cavs' 109-94 victory over the New York Knicks.

Though Bynum scored only three points during his 24 minutes on the court, his size dissuaded the normally aggressive Carmelo Anthony from driving to the rim. The Cleveland defense turned Anthony into a jump shooter that night as he attempted only two of his 19 shots inside the paint.

"The game changes when you have to attack somebody with that size," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said, "and you have to account for him when he's on offense. I feel like he's a difference maker, that's why he's here."

Vogel has already ruled out a "twin tower" look with 7-2 Roy Hibbert and Bynum on the floor together — "I thought about it and said 'no, don't want to do that,' " Vogel said.

Instead, Vogel wants his two big men to play for each other. Bynum will fill in as a backup for Hibbert to rest and even more enticing, Indiana can rely on a 2012 All-Star (Bynum) when its two-time All-Star center gets into foul trouble.

Hibbert has fouled out four times this season, three resulting in road losses. During the recent Western Conference trip, Hibbert was disqualified during the Phoenix (Jan. 22) and Denver (Jan. 25) games, and those opponents averaged 46 points in the paint — 11 more than the Pacers' season average. While the 6-11, 250-pound Ian Mahinmi has been a serviceable backup center, Bynum has more size and is a better rim protector. Also, the coaching staff had previously evaluated Bynum while scouting Cleveland and Vogel thought that even then, he moved well on the defensive end.

"He looked good," Vogel said. "(Bynum has) pretty good mobility and just looked like he's going to be a force."

Call Star reporter Candace Buckner at (317) 444-6121. Follow her on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.

PACE YOURSELF

The Indiana Pacers have been at their worst in the second of back-to-back games this season ... but they're still pretty good. A look at how they rank in the 15-team Eastern Conference (games through Jan. 29):

MAGIC AT PACERS

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Monday, Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

TV: FSI.

Radio: WFNI-1070 AM, -107.5 FM.

THE MAGIC (13-36)

THE PACERS (36-10)

Oladipo rising: The last time Magic rookie Victor Oladipo played inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, he entered the game as a sub. Of course this was Nov. 29 in the season opener, so Oladipo had yet to establish himself as a reliable resource for Orlando. However, Oladipo, the former Indiana Hoosier standout, plays as a contender for Rookie of the Year. Oladipo was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in December and will participate in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star weekend.

He said what?!: "It happens, we just have to figure out how to value it a little bit better." – George Hill on the team hitting a new low with 24 turnovers against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night.

Prediction: Orlando, talented yet young, will likely be a draft or two away from competing in the Eastern Conference. The team, with the second worst overall record in the NBA, has only three road wins – which, if you're wondering, ranks at the bottom. As the Pacers still carry some sluggishness from the recent five-game road trip, this matchup should help them recover just fine. Indiana wins 98-79.

— Candace Buckner