Training Camp Updates 10-5

From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:

Al Jefferson started Saturday night’s public scrimmage that ended the Timberwolves’ five-day training camp at Minnesota State Mankato and demonstrated that his sprained knee ligament is healthy enough to allow him to play when the team opens its preseason schedule Monday in Milwaukee.

Jefferson is playing with a brace on his right knee, but even if his lungs and legs felt it, he showed little sign of the injury sustained in a preseason workout at Target Center 2 1/2 weeks ago.

He scored nine points and had five rebounds in the White team’s comeback 62-62 tie with the Black team at Bresnan Arena.

From Don Seeholzer/Pioneer Press:

Miller, acquired in the draft-night trade that brought rookie Kevin Love to Minnesota, hit a couple of three-pointers on his way to 12 points before leaving to rest a tight hamstring.

Jefferson made just 2 of 5 shots but showed enough progress in his recovery from a sprained knee ligament that he could play in Monday night’s exhibition opener in Milwaukee.

Foye scored all 14 of his points in the final period and nearly had the game-winning assist for the gray team, only to see guard Kevin Ollie miss an open jumper from the left baseline.

Rashad McCants led the black team with 19 points in a scrimmage that consisted of two 10-minute quarters, an eight-minute third period and seven-minute fourth.

From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:

Kevin Love showed the effects of his first NBA training camp. Afterward, he lamented all his missed shots in a 2-for-8 night, including a missed tip with his left hand of a Kevin Olllie miss that would have won the game for the White team, which came back from 51-41 behind to claim the tie.

Said Randy Wittman: “Typical rookie stuff. He has reached that point where he doesn’t know which way he’s going. His body hurts. His head hurts. He has reached the rookie wall in training camp.”

After Saturday’s morning practice, Wittman praised Sebastian Telfair for the poise and command he showed in camp from the point-guard spot, then Telfair had a 1-for-9 shooting night and got burned by Randy Foye in a seven-minute final quarter, when Foye scored all of his 14 points.

From Chad Courrier/Mankato Free Press:

The Timberwolves have spent a lot of time this week focusing on defense, including a 90-second drill in which the offense can’t dribble or screen, just pass and cut, with the man-to-man defense trying to create turnovers. Coach Randy Wittman said he liked the defense Saturday, noting that only a few of the offensive schemes have been worked on at practice.

“Listening to the guys in timeouts, talking about defense,” Wittman said. “That’s without any (coaches) saying anything, so that’s a step in the right direction.”

From Don Seeholzer/Pioneer Press:

Forward Brian Cardinal (calf) and centers Calvin Booth (back) and Jason Collins (elbow) are the only players who won’t take part in the scrimmage.

From Don Seeholzer/Pioneer Press:

In addition to Telfair, Wittman said he liked what he saw of forward Rodney Carney and that it was a boost to get star center Al Jefferson back on a limited basis as he works his way back from a sprained knee ligament…

Love appeared to hit the rookie wall during the final days of camp, and finger, knee and groin injuries only added to his pain.

The encouraging news is he kept pushing and realizes he has a lot of work to do, starting with his defense.

“I’m not a great defender. I’m barely even a good defender,” Love said. “That’s something that I’m going to definitely have to work on and improve on, and there are other guys on this team that are going to have to do that as well.”

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Training Camp Updates 10-5

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper