Don't expect Jamal Mashburn to pace himself too much as he returns to the Hornets today after a 42-game absence.

He wants to play and coach Paul Silas wants him on the floor, perhaps not quite as much as Mashburn has been accustomed to in the past, but for extended periods nonetheless.

They will test the plan starting today at 8 p.m. when Mashburn moves into the starting lineup as the Hornets face the Milwaukee Bucks. It will be the first time he has played since Nov. 17, when he went out with a lower abdominal strain.

"It's time to go play," Mashburn said. "It's been tough sitting on the side. I'm just happy to be healthy. That's the main thing.

"I've been cleared to play so I'm just going to go out there and play and not worry about it. My pace is 40 minutes a night. That's just how I play and coach Silas knows that. I'm sure he'll try to pull me back a little bit in the beginning. But after a while, once I get out there playing I'll be fine and back to my old self."

Mashburn spent months working out with his personal trainer, Ed Downs, and from time to time with a Vancouver physical therapist, Alex McKechnie, who specializes in injuries similar to the one he had. The regimen allowed him to resume practice recently without pain and to avoid surgery.

"If I had had the surgery, I probably would have been out the whole (season)," he said. "It was a lot of hard work doing it this way, but basically I'm just glad it's over."

Silas said Mashburn had been playing well in practice, "More like the old Mash I saw when he first got here at the start of last season," but added he showed signs of "basketball rust."

"All he needs is a little basketball conditioning and he'll get past that," Silas said.

"I have to start him because they told me it's not good to let him warm up, get cold, then come in. He'll probably play a long stretch at a time."

Silas plans to start Mashburn at shooting guard, since starter David Wesley is expected to be out at least another two weeks.

George Lynch, who has helped bolster the defense since recovering from foot surgery, will remain at small forward, the spot Mashburn played last season, with Lee Nailon coming off the bench.

"When Mashburn is not around you don't realize what you're missing," Silas said. "Psychologically, now, the burden will not be on everybody else to take it all on themselves. Baron (Davis) felt he had to do everything."