Jonah Ballow/Timberwolves site talks to ESPN’s Chris Broussard.
JB: Ok Chris, let’s move to Minnesota here where I cover the Timberwolves on a nightly basis. Obviously the team is going through some struggles right now, but Al Jefferson has been consistent all year scoring 20 points, 10 boards, he really does it in a variety of ways in the post. What are the national thoughts about Al Jefferson? Is he considered one of the top forward/centers in the league?
CB: Well, people like him. He shoots a nice percentage from the floor, like you said he has a plethora of moves down there in the low block. He doesn’t defend. Everybody knows he doesn’t defend. Offensively he’s a very good player, and he can rebound, but until you can win some games, you’re not going to get the recognition that you may deserve. He’s not going to get All-Star consideration with a team that’s 4-20. For him to really go to that next level where people begin to think of him as a star, he’s going to have to win some games. Obviously it’s not all on Al, but you gotta win more than four. KG was still an All-Star when he didn’t take Minnesota to the playoffs, but they were at least in the hunt or close to the hunt for most of those three years they were out. Al’s going to have to take that team to the next level and make his teammates better, for him to really get some recognition.
After practice, Love was scheduled to drive a truck full of coats to the Salvation Army in Minneapolis.
Love helped collect more 400 coats for the needy during a three-week drive.
Another day. Another mandatory post-practice meeting. Another condensed media session with your Wolves…
Not much else to report. Rookie Kevin Love did not have to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to McHale, who turned 51 today. “That’s just for players,” McHale said. “I don’t need guys reminding me it’s my birthday.”
Minnesota: (4-15 under Randy Wittman, 0-6 under Kevin McHale)
The Timberwolves felt oppressed by Wittman’s demands and a tough-love demeanor that didn’t cushion their f-e-e-l-ings when he wasn’t satisfied with the results, which was pretty much all the time. So McHale took over, pledging to make the game fun again, which it was for about one half of his first game back on the sideline. The Wolves’ latest woe is outside shooting; Al Jefferson, the consummate low-post threat, ranks as the team’s second-best option (43.4 percent shooting, behind Mike Miller’s 50.0) from beyond 15 feet. A 1-16 December is a very real possibility, with the victory posing the trickiest part.
The Kings are suffering from the twin perils of a poor economy and poor play, with a 7-19 record and no certified stars. The problems are mirrored in Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Charlotte, N.C., and Memphis, which comprise the bottom fifth of the N.B.A. attendance list.
Over all, N.B.A. attendance is flat — about a half-percent higher than at this point last season on a per-game basis. Cumulatively, arenas are at about 89 percent of capacity, on par with last season.