In a few years, Al Jefferson-LeBron James matchups likely won’t be
hidden on Thanksgiving Eve, but will be part of the NBA prime-time
package.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are a long way from respectability, but
Jefferson, who is a year younger than James, isn’t far from being an
All-Star.
 
 
— Wolves rookie Corey Brewer did not enter Wednesday’s game until late
in the third quarter because he missed the morning shootaround, Wittman said.
 
— Point guard Sebastian Telfair is expected to
rejoin the Wolves on Friday in Denver. He wasn’t with the team
Wednesday because of a death in his family.
 
 
Three
weeks after he resumed practicing with his teammates and a day after he
finally passed strength and range-of-motion tests on his healing
shoulder, Timberwolves veteran Mark Madsen played in a game for the
first time since an August jet-ski accident.
 
Also from Zgoda:
Ratliff
had an appointment with renown orthopedic surgeon James Andrews in
Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, but Wittman said he had no news on
Ratliff’s injured knee by game time.
 
 

Minnesota’s Corey Brewer and the Clippers’ Al Thornton are like two peas in a pod. They are incredible athletes and they play super hard. Unfortunately, they are playing at 100 mph while everyone else is going at a steady 65. Sometimes it means they make astounding plays, but mostly it means they cause lots of wrecks. They are better than their PERs suggest, though (Thornton — 7.58; Brewer — 7.47). 
 
 
Don’t tell me Al Jefferson is exciting. Jefferson is the Timberwovles’
center. If I have to tell you who he is, he isn’t very good.
He may be good in about three years, but a drop-step hook shot or a fade-away jumper in the lane isn’t my idea of exciting.