Telfair is back, and just in time for Wolves

With Randy Foye slumping, Sebastian Telfair's return from suspension will provide a lift to the team.

By BRIAN STENSAAS, Star Tribune

Last update: November 6, 2008 - 7:21 AM

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Sebastian Telfair, suspended by the NBA for the first three games of the season, lost salary and almost a little piece of his home-entertainment system watching his Timberwolves teammates struggle to a 1-2 start.

Telfair is eligible to return to action tonight against San Antonio, but for those first three games he was banished from the team on game nights. So the backup point guard watched at home, on his wall-mounted television. The first, a victory over Sacramento, wasn't too bad. The other two, especially Sunday's loss, well ...

"If my TV wasn't on the wall, I probably would have kicked it in," he chuckled.

Instead of his energy balled up in the living room, Telfair now can take it out on opponents.

If Telfair plays, it will be his first game since March 7 when he sprained his left ankle at Sacramento, forcing him to miss the team's final 21 games.

The suspension stemmed from a guilty plea in September on a 2007 weapons charge, before he came to Minnesota in the Kevin Garnett trade.

It's a chapter in his life he now considers closed.

"I hate that it came up so long after" coming to Minnesota, Telfair said. "But it's in the past now. And I can move on."

His return comes in the nick of time for the Wolves.

Starting point guard Randy Foye is in the midst of a 3-for-24 shooting malaise over the past two games, including an 0-for-10 showing Sunday in Oklahoma City.

"I don't know" was the answer Foye came up with after that game. In the days since, he has decided to block out the past two games and instead look forward.

Foye stopped short Tuesday of calling his shooting woes a slump. Instead, he chalked it up as "bad games" and plans to come into tonight's contest with a clear head.

"I was frustrated," Foye admitted. "Missing those shots, especially the easy shots I was like, man ...

"But I'm really looking forward to turning this around. Whatever it takes to get the win, I'm going to do it."

Just as practice ended Tuesday, a noticeably upbeat Foye flashed a smile and offered a fist-bump to Telfair.

No offense to veteran Kevin Ollie, who has been a solid backup at point guard through the first three games, but Foye knows that Telfair's return to the lineup will bring an up-tempo spark.

"He brings different parts to the game," Foye said. "It's good to have him back."

Even with Manu Ginobili -- who scored 123 points in four games against Minnesota last season -- out of the game because of an ankle injury, the Spurs will present plenty of problems for the Timberwolves.

Foye, bigger than Telfair, will try to use his size to his advantage against Tony Parker. The quicker Telfair, who played a career-high 32.2 minutes per game last season, is likely to create more offensive opportunities.

Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said Telfair brings "a change of pace" to the Wolves' attack.

"He has the ability to really push the ball down the floor, and you have to run with him when he's in the game."

Nothing is decided yet, but the possibility of playing Foye and Telfair at the same time -- which Wittman did last season -- is an option.

"It worked out for us a lot," Telfair said. "I definitely see that [again]."

Though he's entering his fifth NBA season, Telfair said the anticipation for tonight's game was strong.

"Feels like I just got drafted and I'm about to play my first NBA game," he said. "I'm anxious to get out there."

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