Jefferson is injured in bad landing for Wolves

Alex Brandon, Associated Press - Ap

Minnesota Timberwolves center Al Jefferson is attended to on the court late in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game with the New Orleans Hornets in New Orleans Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009. Jefferson had 25 points as the Hornets won 101-97.

The sight of their star big man coming down hard on his right leg and collapsing dominated the team's thoughts after a loss.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: February 9, 2009 - 12:36 PM

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NEW ORLEANS 101, WOLVES 97

Up next: vs. Toronto • 7 p.m. Tuesday • Target Center TV: Ch. 45 (1130-AM)

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NEW ORLEANS - His downcast face contorted in pain and dripping with sweat, Timberwolves star center Al Jefferson was helped to the locker room late in Sunday's 101-97 loss at New Orleans with what the team called a twisted knee. He will be re-examined this morning in the Twin Cities.

His right knee buckled when he landed on one leg after he tried to block a shot with 27.2 seconds remaining in a tied game. He later said he heard a "pop" in the knee. He also said it didn't feel as bad after the game as when he suffered a mildly sprained medial collateral ligament before training camp started last fall.

"You think the worst all the time," Jefferson said when asked his first thought after he landed on that knee. "Let's hope it's not as bad as it seemed. I couldn't put any pressure on it last time. This feels a lot better. It's nothing like it was last time. I'm going to try to not worry about it until I get my X-ray tomorrow."

He ended up collapsed on the court in front of the Hornets bench, where players from both teams gathered over him. Teammate Randy Foye immediately sought out a television on the press table to see a replay and had to be called over to the Wolves' huddle during the ensuing timeout.

Jason Collins and Mark Madsen supported Jefferson and helped him to the locker room. With him, at least for now, went a chunk of his team's color and life.

You could see it in Foye's eyes as he looked for the television to tell him it wasn't as bad as the sight of his teammate crumpled on the court. You could hear it in Kevin Love's monumental sigh as he exited the shower and looked over at Jefferson seated dejectedly at his locker afterward.

"He's our main thing, the focus of what we do," Foye said. "Coming down on one leg, all his weight, heard a pop. That's scary to even think about. You've got to hope for the best and pray it's not the worst. You hope he only misses a couple of games. That's better than 32."

The Hornets played without injured Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler and then lost All-Star forward David West when he was ejected for a flagrant foul on Mike Miller in the second quarter.

Jefferson fouled Hornets reserve Sean Marks on the play on which he was injured. With Jefferson out of the game, Marks scored the go-ahead basket with 7.9 seconds left when he picked up a loose ball and dunked it.

The Wolves play Toronto at home Tuesday, then have six days off for the All-Star break.

Jefferson was sidelined for more than two weeks when a teammate rolled into his leg in September, but he returned to workouts by the end of the first week of training camp, faster than expected. He attributed his quick recovery then to being a "fast healer."

Wolves coach Kevin McHale somberly answered questions after the game but repeatedly said, "I don't know" when asked questions about Jefferson's knee, pending his visit with Wolves doctors today.

"We've got to hope for the best and see how it goes and rally around it," Miller said. "Injuries are part of the game. You definitely don't want it to be your go-to guy that everyone goes through."

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