Wolves fall, but Big Al is back

Rick Scuteri, Associated Press - Ap

Timberwolves center Al Jefferson drove between the Suns’ Louis Amundson, left, and Amare Stoudemire during the first quarter Sunday in Phoenix.

Al Jefferson showed flashes of his former self in a loss to the Suns but faces a long recovery from knee surgery.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: November 2, 2009 - 11:00 AM

PHOENIX — Only three regular-season games into his return from February knee surgery, center Al Jefferson isn't back to the player Timberwolves fans recognize from the past two seasons.

But if Sunday's 120-112 loss at Phoenix is indicative, he's getting there. The game at U.S. Airways Center matched him against Suns forward Amare Stoudemire, another star searching his way back from season-ending injury a year ago.

Jefferson showed visions of his old self early on, and Stoudemire did so late on a night when the Suns used three three-pointers in a 9-0 third-quarter run to remain unbeaten in their first three games.

Jefferson made five of eight shots in the first quarter, one of eight in the second, none of three in the third and three of four in the fourth to finish with 21 points and eight rebounds, statistics far closer to his season average last year than either of his first two games.

"Same shots I'd been getting the first two games," Jefferson said.

Wolves coach Kurt Rambis noted Jefferson's impatience in the first two games of his return from the first serious injury of his career that caused him to miss the final 32 games last season and kept him off the court for more than six months.

Asked if he is patient by nature, Jefferson said, "Not in this case. I keep telling myself I haven't played a real game like this since I got hurt. I want to pick up where I left off. I want to be the guy I know I can be. It's going to take some time."

Rambis said he didn't plan on playing Jefferson more than 33 minutes -- he played 25 minutes in each of the first two games -- but did so because Jefferson's legs seemed strong.

"Hopefully, this is something to build upon," Rambis said. "I gave him more minutes than I was told to give him, but that was OK. He looked good out there. Little bit winded, but sometimes you've just got to push yourself through things like that."

Rambis praised his team for executing its new triangle offense "probably the best we've done," an improvement perhaps attributable to Ramon Sessions' 31 minutes off the bench while rookie starter Jonny Flynn played fewer than 19.

That was flip-flopped from their minutes the first two games. Rambis used the word "exceptional" to describe how Sessions "organized" the offense, dictating its options with when and where he delivered the ball to teammates.

Corey Brewer scored a career-high 19 points and Ryan Gomes had 15 rebounds the same night he moved from power to small forward in the starting lineup.

The Wolves trailed by 17 points with 8:43 left and rallied to within five with three minutes remaining before the Suns put them away. Stoudemire scored 12 of his 19 points in the final quarter.

"Amare's a fighter," Jefferson said. "He's been in a situation like this before, and he has fought his way through it. This is my first major injury, and it's my first time going down this road. He has been down that road before."

Jefferson will take one more small step tonight when he plays back-to-back games for the first time in the regular season.

"I feel good," Jefferson said. "I probably won't play as many minutes [tonight]. I can't wait until that part of the game is over with, limiting my minutes. I'm ready to get back to where I was."

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