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Home | Sports | Timberwolves

Big Al says 'no doubt' he'll play in opener

Douglas C. Pizac, Associated Press

Al Jefferson

Kurt Rambis said Jefferson looks "terrific," adding the team will continue to monitor his injury.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: October 27, 2009 - 4:24 PM

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WOLVES PRESEASON

Season opener: 7 p.m. Wednesday

vs. New Jersey • Target Center

TV: Ch. 45 (1130-AM)

More from Timberwolves

When Al Jefferson takes the court Wednesday -- and he is determined to -- he will wear a black sleeve over his left lower leg to help loosen up a sore Achilles' tendon.

The aching tendon kept him from practicing for about a week, but he scrimmaged Monday at Target Center with no problems.

Wolves coach Kurt Rambis said the team will have to monitor Jefferson's injury into the season, which was relayed to Jefferson.

"I guess so," he said. "I'm still playing on Wednesday, regardless."

No doubt?

"No doubt," he said.

Wolves fans and NBA opponents haven't seen Jefferson's post prowess since Feb. 8, when he crumbled to the floor during the final minute of a loss to New Orleans because of a torn right anterior cruciate ligament. He missed the final 32 games of the regular season with the knee injury.

He said the tendon flared up early in training camp because he was favoring his right leg, which he called "a normal thing" that he's worked through.

"Oh, man. I just don't want to start with these nagging injuries here and there to mess with me," Jefferson said, "My knee is fine. I ain't had no problems with my knee yet. Just trying to take care of these little injuries and get back on the court.

"I missed [32] games last year, and I don't want to start that again."

The Wolves concentrated on half-court work Monday, so Jefferson didn't test his leg in a full scrimmage situation. Still, Rambis said Jefferson looked "terrific" on Monday.

The key will be how Jefferson feels today when he reports for practice, and how he feels the next day after any activity.

"Assuming everything continues to go well, he will play on Wednesday," Rambis said. "But we will have to monitor his time."

Jefferson, 24, led the Wolves with 23.1 points and 11.0 rebounds a game before he broke down last season. The Wolves went 7-25 the rest of the way.

After surgery and rehabilitating his knee, Jefferson lost weight and even added wrinkles to his offense.

"He's moving up and down, he'll be doing a lot more things [like] facing the basket," Wolves forward Ryan Gomes said. "He's still going to demand double teams because he can score in the paint but he's expanded his game."

The only problem, besides the Achilles' tendon, is that Jefferson hasn't scored as much as he'd like. He averaged 12 points in five preseason games, shooting 45.1 percent from the floor. But just like the sore tendon, he expects to work his way through that, too.

"I got to keep reminding myself I haven't played a real game since I got hurt," Jefferson said. "I'm putting pressure on myself because I'm missing shots I'm not used to. I have to keep reminding myself, 'You've been hurt, man. You came back from a hell of an injury. Twenty years ago, it was career-ending.'

"I'm a scorer. My timing is going to get back. Everything is going to get back right."

Notes

• The Wolves set their 15-man roster by Monday's 5 p.m. deadline: It includes veteran guard Jason Hart (for now) and veteran center Mark Blount, who wasn't waived but who will never play for the team. The team waived Antonio Daniels last week because he agreed to a contract buyout so he could sign elsewhere (probably Cleveland). Blount will remain at home in Miami (where he has been all of preseason) and on the roster to maintain what basketball boss David Kahn calls roster "flexibility," the option of trading his expiring $7.9 million salary slot before February's trade deadline.

• Kahn indicated he will wait until near Saturday's deadline to determine in one swoop the fate of contract options for Kevin Love, Corey Brewer and Oleksiy Pecherov. Love's is what Kahn calls a "no-brainer." Brewer's extension for the 2010-11 season is expected. Pecherov is going to be the interesting call, whether the 7-footer Rambis calls a "unique" player is unique enough to be guaranteed $2.4 million starting in 2010.

Staff writer Jerry Zgoda contributed to this story.

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