Andrew Bynum expects to be back before the playoffs

Center Andrew Bynum took another step toward returning to the lineup, playing a series of two-on-two and three-on-three games against ex-college players that the Lakers have assembled at their El Segundo team facility.

“He thinks he’s going to play a regular-season game. That shows me some confidence,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said Tuesday. “The last time I talked to him before we left on this road trip, Andrew said he was ‘hopeful.’ Now he sounded confident.”

Bynum has been sidelined since Jan. 31 because of a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He has missed 28 games.

Bynum was averaging 14 points and 8.2 rebounds when he was injured Jan. 31.

Off the court, the Lakers will not discipline Bynum for being photographed with a Playboy bunny on his shoulders during a visit to the Playboy mansion over the weekend.

The photo, taken by a photographer for Playboy, was shown on cable-TV shows Tuesday, often accompanied by a critical slant.

The Lakers didn’t seem concerned by it.

“I think there’s a lot being made out of that that’s unnecessary,” Jackson said. “This is a young guy. I don’t know if Andrew’s 22 yet, is he? He’s a 21-year-old guy. He’s been out of basketball for six weeks. . . . He’s got to have some energy and have some fun.

“I don’t know [about] putting a girl on your shoulders or not . . . but the fact that people are beating him up over that, I think that’s crazy. Andrew’s doing fine. He’s going to be fine.”

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Who’s house?

The Lakers lost Tuesday at Charlotte, 94-84, though it wasn’t entirely clear whom the fans wanted to win.

It was the highest-attended game in the four-year existence of the Bobcats’ new arena (19,568 fans), but Bobcats Coach Larry Brown acknowledged the number of Lakers fans by comparing the game to a neutral site, “like an NCAA tournament game.”

He said afterward that the Bobcats “had to take the crowd out of the game” after Kobe Bryant made two three-pointers near the midpoint of the third quarter to give the Lakers a momentary boost.

Bobcats fans, however, got the last laugh when their team pulled away in the fourth quarter to continue its domination of the Lakers.

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The Jordan rules

After Jackson met briefly with Bobcats managing partner Michael Jordan before Tuesday’s game, the Lakers coach was asked by reporters what made Jordan so remarkable as a player.

“I think the fact that he had to struggle to become a terrific basketball player,” Jackson said. “A lot of young men that play in this game have started out in seventh grade being stars. Michael had a period where he didn’t make his high school team. I think that in itself drove him to a certain type of work ethic, that perfection in his game.”

Jordan is expected to be voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next week.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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Lakers tonight

AT MILWAUKEE

Time: 5 PDT.

On the air: TV: Channel 9; Radio: 570, 1330.

Where: Bradley Center.

Records: Lakers 58-16, Bucks 32-43.

Record vs. Bucks: 1-0.

Update: Despite being hit hard by injuries, the Bucks have a slim chance of making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers led by as many as 27 in a 105-92 victory over the Bucks on Dec. 7 at Staples Center. The Lakers held Richard Jefferson to three points and Michael Redd to two in that game. Redd (knee) and center Andrew Bogut (back) have missed a majority of the season.

-- Mike Bresnahan