The Wolves scrimmaged for about 40 minutes Friday night. Al Jefferson went live for all of it and looked like his old self around the basket, except for the brace on his right knee. Randy Wittman said he think Jefferson will sit out Saturday night’s public scrimmage in Mankato just as a precaution, but left open the possibility he’d play if Jefferson awoke Saturday morning and felt terrific.
Kevin Love, however, didn’t complete the scrimmage after getting kneed in the thigh. He had a rough day, admitting he got lost and missed assignments in the morning session. He just looks sore and fatigued from seven practice sessions in four days and rather glumly Friday night fulfilled his rookie obligation of gathering everybody’s sneakers and toting them away in a mesh bag.
Chad Courrier/Mankato Free Press on Kevin Love:
After four physical days of training camp, he’s tired and sore, the index finger on his shooting hand swollen, a limp from a sore groin muscle getting more noticeable as he runs the court. After Friday’s morning practice, he spent time alone, sitting behind one of the baskets. Coach Randy Wittman walked over to talk with him for a few minutes, veteran Brian Cardinal did the same.
Then Love went to one end of the court to work on perimeter shooting along with several guards.
“He had a tough days, the two-a-days are catching up with him,” Wittman said. “He’s tired, he’s beat up, this is what he’ll face during his career. Is he going to persevere and give up, or is he going to fight through it?”
The coach said he didn’t expect Jefferson, who is working his way back from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, to practice as much as he did Friday night.
“But he’s feeling better and better,” Wittman said. “I had a feeling that once he saw the guys working and working and working that he was going to want to get out there.”
With Rafael Araujo injuring his groin early in the night practice, the Wolves are down three centers, including Calvin Booth (back) and Jason Collins (elbow).
Consider, for example, the 5-on-5 “Man” drill Wolves coach Randy Wittman introduced at the end of the morning practice Friday…
The concept: The offensive team cannot set screens, dribble or shoot, and it has 90 seconds to keep the defense from getting five deflections or turnovers. It left players bent over, panting and tugging on the hems of their gym shorts. Sebastian Telfair tried to reach the ball and stuck a finger in Blake Ahearn’s eye, which watered right up until the evening practice. Kevin Love aggravated an index-finger injury he had the other day. Al Jefferson finished it without incident and then participated fully in an evening scrimmage that was a prelude to tonight’s public scrimmage in Mankato.
“It’s one that they’re probably not going to like a lot,” Wittman said. “Ninety seconds doesn’t sound like a long time, but it’s long when you can’t dribble or shoot. It teaches you to get open, make hard cuts and take care of the ball. That’s a tough drill.”
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The Wolves have been looking for a third point guard behind Randy Foye and Sebastian Telfair, but 11-year veteran Kevin Ollie has impressed coach Randy Wittman since signing Tuesday.
“Ollie’s been really good,” Wittman said. “He’s already, in his short stay here, really helped Sebastian and Randy. He’s constantly talking to them, telling them things that we need to see and read. Being loud and boisterous and letting everybody know what we’re in and stuff. I’ve noticed that he’s grabbed those guys on and off and done a nice job with that.”
From Aaron Seehusen/Timberwolves site:
While in camp, Ollie hopes to provide veteran leadership and tutelage to Minnesota’s young point guards Randy Foye and Sebastian Telfair. “We have two great, outstanding point guards. Hopefully I can come in and be a backboard for those guys if they want to bounce something off of me.” The durability and work ethic Ollie has displayed in his journey through the NBA is something that he hopes rubs off on the younger players. “My work ethic is something I hope they see and pick up on. Longevity in this league is something that I hope they strive for and I hope they take care of themselves in a way that proves beneficial down the road for them. Anything they need, I’m around. I’ve been through the ups and downs of the league, I can definitely teach them a lot.”
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