November 19, 2009

Al Returns Strong

Big Al Jefferson made his return to the starting lineup on Wednesday after a two-game absence to be with his grandmother, who passed away just days ago.

Perhaps the extended rest served No. 25 well as he produced his second double-double and best game of the year with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough as the Wolves lost, 97-84, to the Houston Rockets. Minnesota only trailed 79-76 after Ramon Sessions' jumper with 8:46 remaining.

But after that the team only managed 7-for-18 shooting from the floor, two free-throw attempts and four turnovers for the quarter as Houston (7-5) pulled away.

"We just stopped playing in the fourth quarter," Al told the Pioneer Press. "For whatever reason, some guys weren't ready to play. For a team (Houston) that played last night, we should have attacked them first."

Big Al was ready, as he started the game by making his first eight field goal attempts and two free throws. His first miss of the contest occurred at the 8:52 mark of the fourth quarter and he finished the night shooting 9-of-11 from the field.

"He was energized and ready to play. He seemed more natural, and more his full self in the first half," head coach Kurt Rambis said, as quoted by the Star Tribune."

Rambis’ comments on the rest of the team weren’t as complementary:

"A true professional brings it every night. It's not my job to provide them with a Knute Rockne speech every game. It gets old. On a day like this, it was their job ... their responsibility to be ready to play."

With the loss, Minnesota dropped to 1-11. Houston out-rebounded the Wolves by 10 and scored 44 points in the paint on a night in which Rambis figured his team would have the edge in energy. Consider the Wolves hadn’t played since Saturday and the Rockets were playing back-to-back nights.

"We get paid a lot of money to do a job," No. 25 said. "We can't do it half the time. We have to do it for 48 minutes. To get out of whatever we're in, we're going to have to get tougher and learn how to finish games."

HEAVY HEART
Al had kind words for his coach and president of basketball operations David Kahn after rejoining the team Monday following the death of his grandmother, Annie Randolph.

"My aunt told me that my grandmother was waiting on me to get there," Al the Pioneer Press after Monday's practice. "Luckily, I got there in time. It was good for her and me. I want to say thanks to the coaches, the GM (Kahn) and my teammates for understanding and making it comfortable for me to leave. I wanted to wait until Sunday because of the off day, but coach told me family comes first."

Jefferson lived with his grandmother in Prentiss, Miss., before she moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1995. He said his grandmother took care of him after his father died when he was a baby.

"She took me in right after my dad's funeral," he said. "She's the reason I'm the man I am today."

NEXT UP
The Wolves are off until Saturday then travel to Portland to play the Trailblazers (9-4) for the third time this year. Minnesota lost the previous two contests. During those games, Al averaged 13 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks.

RELATED STORIES
Where's the fire? Kurt Rambis asks (St. Paul Pioneer Press, November 19, 2009)
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_13819652
Wolves Taken Down by Rockets (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, November 19, 2009)
http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/Wolves_Taken_Down_by_Rockets__2009_...
Scola's 20 points, 16 rebounds add to Timberwolves' early woes (AP, November 18, 2009)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=291118016
Wolves' Al Jefferson grateful for time with family (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, November 17, 2009)
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_13803890?source=rss