Kareem likes what he sees in Bynum

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a sophomore at UCLA when he was 20 years old, so forgive him if he drops his typically stoic nature and becomes animated when talking about his protégée.

Abdul-Jabbar, now in his third season as a Los Angeles Lakers special assistant coach, has a two-word job description: Andrew Bynum.

Andrew Bynum averaged 14.5 points and 11 rebounds in victories over Phoenix and Utah, barely a week after leaving his teenage years behind. He had eight points and 13 rebounds Tuesday against New Orleans.

"He just turned 20 years old!" Abdul-Jabbar said. "To be 20 years old and to be in this position is really great. His level of play and his effectiveness can keep going on an upward grade. I think he has every chance of doing well. In a lot of ways, he's still a teenager, so you've got to give him an opportunity to get through that, but he's greatly improved. It's all good stuff."

Andrew Bynum is deftly working the screen-and-roll, often with Kobe Bryant, and he is getting more scoring opportunities, including a couple of alley-oop passes a game.

His hands are reliable, his footwork is improved, and he seems much more comfortable than he did at the end of last season, when he limped to the finish line, averaging only 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in his last 26 games.

"It's obvious he's gotten better at recognizing what to do," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He's in better physical condition. His IQ really has improved and the guys have learned how and where to find him at crucial times. That's always the key -- you've got to do the right thing at the right time."

Andrew Bynum has also benefited from on-court help from Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis, although there are still some on-court errors.

Against Phoenix, he left the middle wide open for quick Leandro Barbosa to penetrate and score.

"He's still making a couple of glaring mistakes at both ends of the court," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He'll do a number of things well and then he'll mess up, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's just about paying attention."

Are they correctable?

"Easily," Abdul-Jabbar said, smiling. "Easily."

Win or lose, it's not cheap to see the Los Angeles Lakers.

The average price of a Los Angeles Lakers' season ticket is an NBA-high $89.24, according to a survey released Tuesday by Team Marketing Report. The league average is $48.83.

"We strive to keep it affordable for all families," said Tim Harris, senior vice president of business operations and chief marketing officer for the Los Angeles Lakers. "You have to keep in mind that 40% of the Los Angeles Lakers' controlled ticket inventory is less than $40 a ticket."

The Los Angeles Lakers' average ticket price tilts dramatically upward from there because courtside seats cost $2,300 a game and seats in six lower-level sections between the baskets are $230 a game.

It costs a family of four an average of $453.95 to attend a Los Angeles Lakers game at Staples Center, according to the survey's Fan Cost Index, which includes four average-price tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four regular-size hot dogs, parking for one car, two game programs and two least-expensive, adult-size adjustable caps. The league average for a family of four is $281.90.

The New York Knicks charge an average of $70.51 a ticket, Boston charges $65.43, and Chicago is fourth in the league with a $63 average ticket cost.

New Orleans, in its first full season back in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, charges a league-low $24.58.

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