04/15/2010 - 18:07
Al Finishes Strong
by
Matt Martino
Despite a long year that ended with one last Minnesota Timberwolves loss, Al Jefferson maintained his composure in the Wolves season finale on Wednesday, finishing on a sweet note with his 35th double-double of the season.
In defeat, No. 25 tallied one of his better all-around performances of the year, scoring 16 points with 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks to garner his 35th double-double. That placed Al at 15th in the NBA for this season in double doubles.
Big Al battling Ben Wallace in the season finale (Getty Images). |
Al was strong, but as a whole the Timberwolves were unable to finish on a positive note and lost at home to the Detroit Pistons, 103-98. The loss tied a franchise record, as the Wolves equaled a mark set by the 1991-92 team with a record of 15-67.
"The blame falls right here, with David [Kahn] and me," coach Kurt Rambis told the Star-Tribune. "It's not the players' fault. It is our fault. We put the players in an extremely difficult environment to win ballgames. But we are going to move forward. In my mind, this is our launching point. This is where we move forward. It's going to be a process. It won't turn around overnight."
Kahn and Rambis made personnel decisions before the season that will give the Wolves 15 to 20 million dollars in salary cap space for free agency this summer, but the moves left the club with critical shortages in talent and depth.
The franchise is hopeful, however, that their reserve will help them build around Big Al. If Minnesota can land a few free agents to go along with the nearly 39 percent chance of getting one of the draft's first two picks, likely to be Kentucky's John Wall and Ohio State's Evan Turner, they could have the talent in place to duplicate the success of this season's surprise team out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Either draft pick would be a great compliment on the perimeter to Minnesota’s three-man post rotation of Al, Kevin Love and Darko Milicic.
MEMORIES OF LONDON
Al and Co. are set to play a pre-season game against the Los Angeles Lakers come October.
The contest will be held in London at the O2 Arena, the same place in which No. 25 wore a Minnesota jersey for the first time. That was back in 2007, when the big fella played his former team, the Boston Celtics.
"I had just got traded from the Celtics so I was up against some old friends," Al told The Mirror (UK) "It was my first game and it was kind of weird. A couple of times I thought I was still a Boston player!
"But it was a wonderful experience as I had never been to London before. Everything is the opposite there but London is fun. I am planning on doing a lot of sight-seeing this time."
NEXT UP
Look for Big Al’s season recap to be posted on Friday, April 16.
RELATED STORIES
Futility mark tied as season limps to close (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, April 15, 2010)
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/90882319.html?page=1&c=y
Minnesota Timberwolves go out with a wretched tie (Pioneer Press, April 15, 2010)
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_14886352?source=rss
Basketball: Al Jefferson insists he will always have fond memories of the O2 Arena (Daily Mirror, April 14, 2010)
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/2010/04/14/basketball-al-jeffer...
Pistons hand Timberwolves franchise record-tying 67th loss (AP, April 14, 2010)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300414016
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