"I kind of had that feeling anyway," Jefferson said before the Wolves' 132-119 loss Friday night to the Lakers. "It's kind of just one of those feelings you have when you just know. So when it happened, I wasn't disappointed. I was disappointed at first, but I got over it real fast and moved on."

Western Conference coaches picked Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal over Jefferson for the all-star team, even though the Wolves' big man held advantages in scoring, rebounding and minutes played.

The Wolves' losing record no doubt played a part in the decision, and Jefferson said the fact that Minnesota was playing much better in January obviously wasn't taken into consideration.

"If you ask me, I feel like the all-star team was made two months ago," he said. "They already knew who they were going to pick. It had nothing to do with how great we've been playing. We just need to focus on the team and get as many wins as we can get."

Jefferson wasn't the only Wolves player to get snubbed this week, with forward Kevin Love being passed over for the Feb. 13 rookie-sophomore game, and the lack of respect angered their teammates.

"Guys are really upset about that," guard Sebastian Telfair said. "That wasn't right. One of them should have at least gotten in, if not both. ... I think it's a sad thing that they didn't make it."

Jefferson received a lot of national support before and after Thursday night's selections, but he isn't buying the notion that it makes him a shoo-in for next year.

"That's what I heard last year, so that doesn't excite me no more," he said. "I heard that last year."

More Al: Wolves coach Kevin McHale said the failure of Jefferson to make the all-star team was a direct reflection of the team's slow start.

"What hurt Al wasn't his performance," McHale said. "What hurt Al was the team's performance early. I think had the team performed better, Al definitely would have made it."

The Lakers' Phil Jackson, who will coach the Western Conference team, said he voted for O'Neal and that team success is a factor.

Interestingly, no players from a losing team made the West squad compared with three in the East, which has fewer good teams and old-school coaches.

McHale said Jefferson's time will come.

"There's some poor 15-year-old kid right now who'll be 24 or 25 when Al's 33, 34, and he'll deserve to make the team and he won't," McHale said. "Al will make it on reputation, and he'll be talking bad about Al. He doesn't even know it yet. Everybody makes one they don't deserve late, and everybody misses one they deserve early. That's just the way it works."

No relief: The Wolves are thin at point guard with Telfair nursing a bruised right thigh, and help is not on the way.

McHale said veteran Kevin Ollie won't return from a dislocated left elbow until after the all-star break.

"Kevin's not able to dribble the ball left-handed yet," McHale said. "But his arm feels better."

Quote to note: Wolves guard Randy Foye on Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who had seven offensive rebounds among his game-high 15: "That's probably the longest guy I ever played against as far as length and wingspan."

Briefly: Matched against a tall Lakers front line, Love fouled out for the first time in his NBA career with 7:18 to play after scoring 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds.

With 34 points, Jefferson led the Wolves in scoring for the eighth consecutive game.