Andrew Bynum and Charlie Villanueva just got an early Christmas present from the NBA league offices.
Both Bynum and Villanueva will be returning to the lineup a little earlier after the league trimmed their existing five-game suspensions from last season to four games.
Bynum earned his suspension for a clothesline of Dallas guard J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff series against Dallas. For good measure, Bynum then took off his jersey and stormed off the court after he was ejected from the game.
Villanueva instigated a fight with Cleveland’s Ryan Hollins late last season. It stated on the court and then carried over to the locker rooms as he tried to charge Hollins off the court. He served one game of the suspension last season.
Bynum’s first game back will be Dec. 31 against the Nuggets. And Villanueva will return on the same date against Indiana.