Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune on Al Jefferson:
“Al had never touched the ball that many times in his life,” Wolves coach Randy Wittman said. “He liked it. And when he didn’t get the ball, he’d get upset sometimes.”
That led to exchanges with teammates after one of them committed a turnover, missed a shot or, heaven forbid, didn’t pass him the ball.
Late in the season, Wittman dealt with the matter at halftime during a game in Memphis after Jefferson and Randy Foye traded words in the first half. In that moment of game No. 81, Jefferson experienced an epiphany of sorts.
In the second half that night, Jefferson approached Foye.
“He told me, ‘Whatever happens — if I get upset at you or you get upset at me, it don’t matter — we’re going to be together for a long time here, so we better learn to stick together,'” Foye said. “That’s what started it.”
When it comes to the rest of Jefferson’s game, there’s little room for improvement.
Coming off a season in which he posted career highs in scoring (21 points per game) and rebounds (11.1), Jefferson was limited during training camp by a sprained knee ligament, but it and he got better as the exhibition season went on.
Jefferson followed an opening 18-point, nine-rebound game at Milwaukee with seven more solid outings and finished exhibition play as the team leader in points (14.9) and rebounds (9.0) while playing a little more than 26 minutes per night.
The rest of the Wolves weren’t as consistent, but Jefferson feels good about the team and has high hopes.
The Star Tribune on Jefferson:
He treated the Wolves’ office staff to dinner Tuesday night at JD Hoyt’s in downtown Minneapolis. “They do so much for us,” Jefferson said. “There’s like 100 people and I don’t know half of them. It’s my way to say, ‘Thanks.’ “
From the Pioneer Press: Meet The Timberwolves
Brian Stensaas/Star Tribune on Gomes, McCants, Smith, Telfair, and Brewer.
Jim Souhan/Star Tribune writes an open letter to the Timberwolves with instructions he thinks will help the team improve.
From Mike Max/WCCO:
As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare to open the regular season players will tell you that Corey Brewer is the most improved defensive player and Randy Witman will say if Kevin Love wants to play on the team his minutes will be determined by how well he plays defense early on.
Odds of the Timberwolves winning the NBA championship this season are 150 to 1, according to the Bodog online betting service.
The Wolves’ Randy Foye will win the NBA’s most improved player award, EA Sports NBA LIVE 09 projects.
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