01/14/2010 - 16:12
All in a Night's Work
by
Matt Martino
Big Al Jefferson posted one of the best nights of his career on Wednesday night in a triple overtime thriller at the Toyota Center.
In the process, No. 25 also knocked a Minnesota icon's name off of one of the most prestigious Timberwolves franchise records.
Big Al notched 26 points and 26 boards on Wednesday night (Getty Images). |
With 26 rebounds, AJ broke Kevin Garnett's franchise record for most rebounds in a game by one. Garnett twice collected 25.Unfortunately, the Wolves ran out of gas and the Houston Rockets prevailed, 120-114, after three extra sessions.
"We kept fighting and got back into the game," Al, who also chipped in a team-high 26 points, said. "I'm really crushed. It took a lot out of us."
Houston led virtually the entire game until No. 25 sank a jumper, providing Minnesota a brief 78-77 lead -- their first since 3-2 -- with 4:47 remaining in the contest.
With 46 seconds on the clock, the Wolves were down 87-82 and the game seemed all but over. But Minnesota battled back to tie the game at 89 on Corey Brewer's miraculous half-court shot that just beat the buzzer.
"I was right behind Corey Brewer in front of their bench, and it looked good," Rockets forward Chuck Hayes said. "They went nuts."
In overtime, it was Minnesota rookie Wayne Ellington's turn for the dramatic. Ellington finished with 17 points, hitting a big three-pointer in the first two overtimes until fouling out with 28.9 seconds remaining in the third. His three-pointer with 8.4 seconds left in the second OT tied the score 105-105 going into the final OT.
The Rockets finally seized control, 115-109, on Shane Battier's three-pointer with 1:55 remaining.
"There were guys out there on the floor for both teams who were just exhausted," coach Kurt Rambis told the Pioneer Press. "They were just absolutely exhausted, but both coaches left combinations out there that were doing things right."
The Wolves rebounded from a sluggish start and an early 19-point deficit.
"I'm very proud of the way our guys played," Rambis added. "You just don't quit. You keep your heads up. You keep fighting. You don't know what's going to happen in this league. That's a message I want our guys to hear and always adhere to. You just keep playing.
"You don't know how it's going to work out."
AL BREAKS OUT
It wasn't working out for Al in the early going. Before the big fella went for 26 and 26, he had 10 rebounds at halftime but just two points on 1-of-3 shooting.
"There were times throughout the game where it was very stagnant for him," Rambis said. "We couldn't get him going. Their post defenders did a real good job of keeping him out of the lane and keeping him unproductive offensively for long stretches of the game.
"But he obviously made big plays and big free throws for us down the stretch, and it was good for him to show me that stamina."
Al became just the ninth player in the last 15 years to produce a game of at least 25 points and 25 rebounds. Dwight Howard went for a 30-point, 25-rebound game at Golden State on January 10, 2007. Kevin Garnett is the only other Minnesota player to accomplish the feat: finishing with 33 points and 25 rebounds at Sacramento on December 5, 2003.
"We didn't get the win, that would have made it look even better," Al responded to the Star-Tribune when asked of his big night. "Another record, Kevin Love will probably break mine."
Last night's contest also marked the first triple overtime game in the franchise's 1648 games.
"I've played in a lot of dramatic games before and a lot of games that came down to big-time, crazy shots," Ellington told the Star-Tribune."This one is definitely right up there."
NEXT UP
On their last stop of a four-game road trip, Minnesota (8-32) travels to Memphis to play the Grizzlies (19-18). The Wolves return to the Target Center on Monday where they will host the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers.
Al posted 12 points and nine rebounds against the Grizzlies earlier this season.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST and the game can be seen on FS North.
RELATED STORIES
Corey Brewer hits from midcourt, but Timberwolves fall to Rockets in 3 OTs (Pioneer Press, January 14, 2010)
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_14184832?
Wolves have night of three-pointers and three OTs (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, January 14, 2010)
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/81361332.html?page=1&c=y
Making history: Rockets win 120-114 in 3 OTs (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, January 14, 2010)
http://www.startribune.com/blogs/On_the_Wolves.html
Brooks' 43 points carry Rockets past Wolves in triple OT (AP, January 13, 2010)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300113010
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