Al Jefferson had a career-high 40 points, hit the go-ahead free throws
with 11.4 seconds to go, and lifted the Wolves to a 98-95 victory over
the Nets, who have lost nine in a row.
“Twenty games ago, we would have lost the game tonight,” said
Jefferson, whose Wolves trailed by 15 points with 10 minutes remaining.
“That just shows how much we’ve improved. We’ve stopped putting our
heads down when teams make a run.”
Jefferson, whose Wolves trailed by 15 points with 10 minutes remaining.
“That just shows how much we’ve improved. We’ve stopped putting our
heads down when teams make a run.”
That gave Minnesota (8-35) its fifth consecutive game with either a win or a close loss.
"Most definitely, you can expect us playing well for
the rest of the season," Jefferson said. "We just gotta keep doing what
we’re doing. I think the biggest thing for us now is just playing hard."
Wolves record: 8-35
But it was the fourth when Minnesota got the money, and it wasn’t
expected. Vince Carter had just hit his fifth-consecutive perimeter
jumper to put New Jersey up 95-88 with 1:19 remaining, but the Wolves
responded in a huge way. First Rashad McCants knocked down a three,
before Jersey missed consecutive free throws. On the next possession,
Sebastian Telfair kept his dribble alive despite pressure, and found
Ryan Gomes in the corner for another huge three to cut it to 95-94 with
40 seconds left.
expected. Vince Carter had just hit his fifth-consecutive perimeter
jumper to put New Jersey up 95-88 with 1:19 remaining, but the Wolves
responded in a huge way. First Rashad McCants knocked down a three,
before Jersey missed consecutive free throws. On the next possession,
Sebastian Telfair kept his dribble alive despite pressure, and found
Ryan Gomes in the corner for another huge three to cut it to 95-94 with
40 seconds left.
Carter then missed for the first time in the half, and after McCants
missed on a good look from 17 feet, Jefferson grabbed a huge offensive
rebound and drew a foul. He’d make both free throws to give the Wolves
the lead, grab Richard Jefferson’s miss from in close and hit two more
free throws to seal the win.
missed on a good look from 17 feet, Jefferson grabbed a huge offensive
rebound and drew a foul. He’d make both free throws to give the Wolves
the lead, grab Richard Jefferson’s miss from in close and hit two more
free throws to seal the win.
For the first time this season the Timberwolves win a game when
trailing after three quarters. After setting a career high in points
Wednesday at home against Phoenix, Al Jefferson sets the mark again,
scoring 40 for the first time in his career.
The Wolves also received timely three-point shooting from Green, Rashad
McCants and Ryan Gomes, defense and the ability to get to the
free-throw line from Corey Brewer and finally, perhaps the kind of luck
that they so often this season believed had turned the other way.
McCants and Ryan Gomes, defense and the ability to get to the
free-throw line from Corey Brewer and finally, perhaps the kind of luck
that they so often this season believed had turned the other way.
Green, an unlikely character to resurrect the Wolves, started the
comeback from 15 points behind with a pair of three-point shots early
in the fourth quarter.
comeback from 15 points behind with a pair of three-point shots early
in the fourth quarter.
1-30 Wolves record this season when they scored fewer than 100 points.
These aren’t the Garnett-led Wolves. But to the Nets, Al Jefferson is better than Garnett. He abuses them, destroys them and he did it again with 40 points and 19 rebounds. He made the four biggest foul shots late and grabbed the two biggest rebounds – one on each end.
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