In the first returns of 2009 NBA All-Star Balloting, Al Jefferson is 7th among Western Conference centers with 46,242 votes.
Centers: Yao Ming (Hou) 529,290; Shaquille O’Neal (Pho) 227,273; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 162,139; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 155,689; Greg Oden (Por) 71,366; Andris Biedrins (GS) 65,496; Al Jefferson (Minn) 46,242; Tyson Chandler (NO) 39,467; Marcus Camby (LAC) 25,824; Chris Kaman (LAC) 9,104; Brad Miller (Sac) 6,892.

 

From the Associated Press (with video):
A group of Twin Cities children got quite a surprise on Thursday from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After an ice-cream party at NBA City restaurant in Target Center, the players took 27 kids who are currently waiting for adoption on a holiday shopping spree at Target in downtown Minneapolis.
It’s the signature event of the FastBreak Foundation’s “Season of Giving Month.” Al Jefferson, Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes and most of the team participated in the event.

Click here for pictures.

 

The Timberwolves’ traveling party didn’t get back to their homes til after 2 a.m. today, so there wasn’t much action about 10 hours later at the practice facility. Mostly, the team went through some light drills, watched film and shot free-throws. One good sign: Mike Miller seemed upbeat and was fooling around near the end of practice. He was landing fine on three-point jumpers. No signs of discomfort with that bum ankle, so we’ll see if he’s ready to go tomorrow against the Spurs.

Jonah Ballow/Timberwolves site has postgame audio from Kevin McHale and Craig Smith.

 

But McHale has been even more successful in his attempt to loosen up and embolden his troops. He’s changing the tone by cozying up to his players from different angles. Tuesday night after a player left the court and took a seat on the bench, McHale offered some irreverent advice and/or encouragement (from where we sit, the words couldn’t be heard, but the tone was unmistakeable). Then, just before he finished his bon mot and was about to turn back to the action on the court, he caught the eye of center Jason Collins–who hasn’t left the pine since McHale took over–and winked at him. (I was sitting directly behind the angle of Collins’ eye level at the time.) Then, after a gut-punch loss by 3 points in which Kevin Love blew a slew of free throws and Shaddy McCants tossed the inbounds away for a turnover, McHale dove in front of all the bullets during his postgame, saying the “guys played their hearts out” and that “I promised I will become a better coach,” so these “tough losses” will be fewer.
The other headline, for me: Rashad McCants played 30 minutes, Sebastian Telfair played 13 – and the two combined to go 3-16 from the field. It’s hard to believe that the Wolves have managed to get two of the worst five jump-shooters in the NBA on the same team, but there we have it. McCants is now shooting 36% for the year, Telfair 32%, and if neither ever shot the ball again it’d be too soon.
Campbell spent three seasons in the Twin Cities and will help the Wolves franchise celebrate 20 years in the NBA. During the inaugural season, Campbell was the star for Minnesota by averaging 23.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. A bit of irony would send Campbell to Minneapolis, considering he was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers, the franchise that began in the land of 10,000 lakes. If there is any player who could relate to the recent struggles for this current Wolves roster, it’s Campbell.
“My first year here we were 22-60, last year, they were 22-60. I know they are a better team,” Campbell added. “It’s just a matter of stepping back and reassessing what they have done right and wrong. Players are going to have to say what can I do to give the team five percent, ten percent more. If collectively everybody can give that extra percentage, I think that will be the difference.

Ben Pherson and Jason Feldman/Post-Bulletin on the team’s coaching change.

 

The green roof expected to be approved Friday for the Target Center in Minneapolis represents a bet by city leaders that the arena will remain viable beyond the city’s lease with the Timberwolves.
That’s because consultants say the extra expense of a longer-lived green roof isn’t cost-effective until it reaches 20 years old, when a conventional roof installed now probably would need replacement. That would come in 2029, or four years after the Timberwolves lease expires. The arena already is the seventh oldest in the National Basketball Association, according to the league.