From the Associated Press:
Jefferson did some light contact work during two-on-two drills on Thursday. It’s the latest step forward in his recovery from a sprained right knee in September.
Coach Randy Wittman says there still is not timetable for Jefferson’s return to full contact and five-on-five practices. The Wolves open the exhibition season on Monday at Milwaukee, and it is unlikely Jefferson will play in that game…
Wittman said Jefferson, who is working his way back from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, practiced for 35-40 minutes.
That included some 2-on-2 drills and the Wolves’ leading man still hasn’t had any problems with swelling in the knee.
Al Jefferson practiced for more than 30 minutes of live 2-on-2 work Thursday, another step forth in his recovery from a sprained knee ligament. He likely will return to practice fully next week, when the Wolves are expected to open preseason play without him at least for games at Milwaukee on Monday and against Oklahoma City in Montana on Wednesday.
The Wolves practiced just once Thursday — but for three hours, 15 minutes — as coach Randy Wittman gave his players a break from two-a-day practices to rest their legs. They’ll practice twice today and once Saturday before holding a public scrimmage in Mankato on Saturday night.
From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:
Corey Brewer actually thrived in the full-court running, getting to the basket several times for lay-ins and/or drawing fouls. The practice ended with Brian Cardinal hitting a decisive shot off a Randy Foye feed.
Wittman said he has put in just enough offense to allow his players to run up and down the floor and get into some basic offensive sets. They wrap up camp with a public scrimmage here in Mankato Saturday night and play the Bucks on Monday.
“Exhibition is practice to me,” Wittman said. “I’m not really concerned about Monday. It’s probably not going to look real pretty offensively. I want to see how we’re going to look defensively. ”
The big question is can a team that lacks shut-down defenders — second-year swingman Corey Brewer is the only one who conceivably qualifies — and a shot-blocker accomplish collectively what it cannot do individually?
“I think absolutely you can,” Wittman said. “We’re going to score points, but I don’t think we can be a team that’s going to outscore you 120-118.”
So Wittman has preached defense through training camp’s opening three days in Mankato and promises to do so until his players “get it,” a goal he admits they never completely reached last season.
“Freakishly athletic” was coach Randy Wittman’s immediate impression of Carney, who has shown flashes of his potential during the first few days of training camp..
Like all the Wolves, he also knows that whatever playing time he gets will depend on his ability to play defense.
“They stated that in a meeting when I first got traded here,” he said. “Kevin McHale stated that immediately, so automatically it’s in my head. Defense, defense. It’s defense that wins games. If you can’t play defense, you won’t play on this team.”
Three days and five practices into his first NBA training camp, rookie forward Kevin Love said he’s sore but that it hasn’t been as tough as he thought it might be.
He’s also formed some early impressions of this Timberwolves team.
“We can shoot the ball; that’s for sure,” he said. “We definitely have to get better defensively, but that’s definitely been our primary focus so far.”
Rookie forward Kevin Love took a hard fall during practice and got up flexing his right knee but returned after missing just a couple of possessions.
“I actually stepped on (Craig Smith’s) foot and my leg hyperextended a little bit, but I was fine,” Love said. “It’s just something I have to walk off. It wasn’t too bad.”
Coach Randy Wittman said, upon Miller’s arrival, that he immediately challenged him to be a team leader.
“He’s just been great,” Wittman said. “Vocally he’s good, and he leads by example. He’s the first guy in the gym in the morning. He’s the first guy here for a night practice. That rubs off when you see guys like that.”
From Derek Wehrwein/MSU Reporter:
“Mark is such a great guy but he’s going to have to find a way to get out on the floor,” McHale said. “That’s going to be his challenge.”
“Mark is such a great guy but he’s going to have to find a way to get out on the floor,” McHale said. “That’s going to be his challenge.”
But even if his playing time isn’t what it once was, Madsen is still finding ways to help his team improve. Love indicated he has already received helpful advice from other players, including Al Jefferson and Madsen.
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