Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum made an early exit from Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game.

Bynum, the starting center for the Western Conference, was not expected to see much time after receiving an injection of Synvisc on Friday in an effort to keep his surgically repaired knee problem-free.

He said he was done for the night due to a sore knee after playing 5 1/2 minutes in the first quarter. He had three rebounds, a blocked shot, a steal and an assist.

Bynum underwent surgery in 2010 to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. Synvisc serves as a lubricant that can alleviate pain in the joint.

The 24-year-old Bynum has not missed a game since serving a four-game suspension to start the season. He is averaging 16.3 points and 12.8 rebounds – both career highs – in 30 games.