Los Angeles Lakers at Philadelphia 76ers (+6.5, 202.5)

The progression of Lakers center Andrew Bynum has been on public display since Los Angeles selected the 7-foot man-child out of high school in the 2005 NBA Draft.

Bynum has been growing leaps and bounds in the past two seasons and showed just how far he has come during the Lakers’ current eight-game road trip. Against the Indiana Pacers Wednesday, Bynum scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, helping L.A. to a 118-96 win as a 5.5-point road favorite.

Bynum, who is averaging almost 16 points and more than eight rebounds, was holding out hope that he would be among the players selected as reserves for the Western Conference All-Star Team. However, coaches have submitted their ballots and Bynum didn’t make the cut.

"Hopefully I did, but [Thursday] we all find out," Bynum told the Los Angeles Times before the reserves were announced. "I think if I didn't make it, I think it would be political more so than anything and that's just something I'll have to deal with."

Hopefully the All-Star snub doesn’t discourage the 22-year-old. He was able to beat up on a shorter Pacers frontcourt but now takes on the Sixers, who have beefy forwards in Elton Brand, Samuel Dalembert and Marreese Speights.

Bynum missed the Lakers’ most recent meeting with Philadelphia but scored 18 points against the Sixers in a 114-102 win back in December 2008.

Pick: Los Angeles


Los Angeles Clippers at Minnesota Timberwolves (N/A)

Speaking of All-Star snubs, perhaps the biggest slap in the face Thursday was delivered to Clippers center Chris Kaman.

Los Angeles’ pasty big man, who is scoring 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds per game, was left of the Western Conference All-Stars reserve list and he’s not happy about it. Not one bit.

"I don’t think Gasol should be in it at all," Kaman told reporters last week. "He’s only played, like, 20 games. I think you should have to play, like, 80 percent of the games.

"It shouldn’t be 50 percent [of games played] over a guy who plays 90 percent and who has better numbers. Not just me. Zach Randolph, a power forward, he has better numbers [than Gasol]. But he’s not on the Lakers."

The T-Wolves have the unfortunate task of facing the Clippers and their pissed off big Friday. Kaman is averaging 19 points and over seven rebounds since returning from a back injury that held him out four games. Los Angeles is 3-3 since his return and has covered in four of those six contests.

Pick: Los Angeles