"This hardly ranks as Andrew Bynum's favorite Christmas gift.

Nothing will ever replace the Hot Wheels cars he received as a young kid. But Bynum receiving a reduced suspension from five games to four because of the NBA's shortened schedule serves as a nice stocking stuffer. Bynum, who received the initial suspension in May after delivering a forearm at guard Jose Barea in a playoff game against Dallas, sounded hardly surprised about the decision. He still considered the suspension "tough."

"The only reason it was reduced was because the season itself is shorter," Bynum said, referring to the NBA's 66-game schedule, a 19.5% reduction from a typical 82-game season. "It makes sense, mathematically.""