02/22/2010 - 15:15
Ahead of Schedule
by
Matt Martino
Al Jefferson's recovery from a torn ACL has been one of the biggest positives for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season.
There are only 25 games left, and No. 25 is on pace to play 80-of-82 games this season. That's impressive when considering it was only a year ago that he tore his ACL, one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can suffer.
Al is averaging 17.4 points per game and 9.5 rebounds per game this season and has played in 55 games, already five more than he participated in last season.
In a Q&A session with Star-Tribune's Michael Rand, No. 25 admitted that though he's having a solid season, his knee has yet to fully heal:
"I have had times when I felt like my old self, you know, but to be back to being consistent like I was last year and two years ago, I haven't gotten there yet. I'm proud to say I haven't missed a game this year because of a knee injury. This summer I'm really going to work on my game."
It usually takes a player about two years to regain their form and full range of motion after ACL surgery. At this rate, Al's knee is ahead of schedule and should be at full strength by the start of next season after another summer of rehabilitation.
Al logged 32 minutes on Friday against the Chicago Bulls and then 29 versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. For the month of February, he is averaging 30 minutes a game, a slight drop from the previous three months in which No. 25 played 34 minutes per contests.
WOLVES DROP A PAIR
Despite two strong performances, the Wolves dropped both home games over the weekend.
Friday, Minnesota lost to the Chicago Bulls 100-94 after the Wolves went 6 for 18 from the floor in the fourth quarter and missed eight of 13 free throws in the final 12 minutes.
"I've never seen anything like that," Al told the Pioneer Press. "Our energy was there all night. We just couldn't make shots. I knew something was wrong when I saw Ryan Gomes miss a free throw."
Al finished with 10 points, five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
The Bulls took advantage of Minnesota's dry spell by extended their one-point lead heading into the fourth to 91-80 with 6:32 remaining.
"Our defense was good enough to win this one," coach Kurt Rambis told the Pioneer Press. "When guys missed shots they normally make, it sucked the confidence right out of them. And then it carried over to the free-throw line."
Sunday's contest was the opposite as Minnesota finished strong after a 17-point deficit early on against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Al finished with 10 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
MORE Q&A
Other subjects addressed in Al's chat with Michael Rand included the Wolves as a team and Al's ideas to spice up All-Star Weekend:
Q: Do you feel like this is your team?
A: No, I don't ... it's a young team. I just look at it as it's "our team," a unit. That's the way I look at it.
Q: All-star weekend seems to be losing some of its luster. If you were in charge, what might you do differently with the dunk contest?
A: I think the problem is the dunk contest has been around for a long time. I think everyone has seen all the dunks. Vince Carter in 2000 brought a dunk nobody had seen before. I just feel like we've seen every dunk. Unless you do it unbelievably, there's nothing new. That's not the guys in the contest's fault. But the dunks have been around forever. I was looking at 1986, and Dominique and Jordan put on an amazing show. ... Maybe some of the top players in the league could get in it. People would go to see LeBron, D-Wade, Melo maybe. Maybe those guys could get it back the way it used to be.
To read the entire Q & A, click here.
NEXT UP
Tuesday, The Wolves (13-44) travel to Miami and battle Dewayne Wade and the Heat (29-28).
This is the first meeting between these two. Last season, Al tallied nine points and 10 rebounds in the only game he played against Miami.
RELATED ARTICLES
Q&A with Al Jefferson (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, February 21, 2010)
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/84820607.html?page=1&c=y
Boost from new arrival isn't enough (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, February 21, 2010)
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/84929487.html
Durant's 32 aid Westbrook's triple-double to help Thunder win 9th straight (AP, February 21, 2010)
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300221016
Cold spell kills Timberwolves as Bulls hand them fifth straight loss (Pioneer Press, February 20, 2010)
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_14437591?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Hinrich scores 20 points to lead new-look Bulls over Wolves (AP, February 19, 2010
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300219016
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