INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers starting center Ian Mahinmi is ready to fight back.
Two days after a sore back forced the 6-foot-11, 262-pound French native out of Monday night's loss at Toronto, Mahinmi told reporters he intends to play Thursday night in Game 3.
"It's that time of year. You always hope to be 100 percent, but it rarely happens," Mahinmi said after Wednesday's practice. "It's one of those things where you just try to play through it."
Back trouble has been a recurring theme for Mahinmi, who missed six of his 11 games during the regular season with the same injury.