Wolves' Jefferson out for season

Alex Brandon, Associated Press

Minnesota Timberwolves center Al Jefferson

The Wolves' standout center, averaging 23.1 points and 11 rebounds, tore his anterior cruciate ligament.

By BRIAN STENSAAS, Star Tribune

Last update: February 10, 2009 - 5:11 AM

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The moment Timberwolves center Al Jefferson was helped to the locker room Sunday night in New Orleans, bad news was expected.

Further evidence was the cancellation of a community event featuring Jefferson on Monday morning, then seeing seldom-used big men Mark Madsen, Jason Collins and Calvin Booth putting in extra work at the end of practice.

Finally, coach Kevin McHale broke the news.

Jefferson, the team's heart and soul on and off the court, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee when he landed awkwardly with 27.2 seconds remaining in Sunday's loss to the Hornets. It's likely he will have surgery to repair the tear in the next week to 10 days, ending his season and putting into question whether or not he will be ready for the start of next season.

"I feel terrible for Al," McHale said. "Al's really, right now, devastated. He feels terrible about it. But I said, 'You know, things all happen for the reason.' It's hard for me to figure out what this reason is, but somehow he's going to have to make the best of it and rehab and get better."

McHale admitted standard operating procedure within the NBA on such damning news is to get a second opinion. However, the diagnosis from the MRI on Monday morning was pretty clear-cut -- just as it was for the ACL tear suffered by forward Corey Brewer in late November. Brewer's injury was season-ending.

"[Jefferson] will have surgery and then ... I have no idea," McHale said of Jefferson's timetable. "We'll find out after the surgery."

The injury comes after an otherwise dominant weekend for Jefferson. His 36-point, 22-rebound game Saturday in Houston was only the second 35-20 game in the NBA in the past three seasons (New York's David Lee had 37 points and 21 rebounds against Golden State earlier this year). Jefferson scored 25 points and 14 rebounds against the Hornets before his injury.

Jefferson, 24, this season has appeared in all 50 Timberwolves games. His 23.1 points and 11 rebounds per game average make him one of only three players -- joining Orlando's Dwight Howard and San Antonio's Tim Duncan -- averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds this season.

"The way we've been playing as a team and the way he's been playing individually has guided us to a lot of wins," forward Ryan Gomes said. "And now that we're going to be missing that big piece in our offensive and defensive side, it's gonna hurt.

"We gotta dedicate the rest of the season to him because what he's done the last 50 games has been great."

Teammates Monday said Jefferson, though limping, was moving around on his own after the game and before the plane ride back to the Twin Cities. However, Jefferson complained of increased soreness once airborne.

When the extent of his injury was revealed to the team Monday morning, reaction ranged from shock to disappointment.

McHale said the mood at practice was morose.

"At first I was like, 'What?'" rookie forward Kevin Love said. "I didn't think he'd play [today]. But I figured after the All-Star Game, he'd be fine. Losing a guy like him, who should be in Phoenix as well for the All-Star Game, as you guys can imagine, it's tough."

Jefferson's injury, coupled with the absence of forward Craig Smith because of cracked ribs, likely means players such as Love, Collins, Madsen and even Booth (who has seen 40 seconds of action this season) will be called upon more.

"It's going to be tough not having him in there," said Love, who called Jefferson a mentor. "But tomorrow, the lights are still going to come on, we're still going to brush our teeth, put our pants on, put our shoes on, have to lace 'em up and go out there."

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