Jefferson returns to lineup after time of grief

Douglas C. Pizac, Associated Press

Al Jefferson returned to the Timberwolves and the starting lineup on Wednesday night against Houston after a two-game absence to be with his grandmother, who died in Florida on Thursday.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: November 19, 2009 - 12:16 AM

Al Jefferson returned to the Timberwolves and the starting lineup on Wednesday night against Houston after a two-game absence to be with his grandmother, who died in Florida on Thursday.

Jefferson left the team after last Wednesday's home loss to Portland and arrived in Fort Lauderdale in the afternoon a week ago today, 30 minutes before Annie Bell Randolph, 83, died.

He left when he did rather than wait for an off day on Sunday at the suggestion of Wolves head coach Kurt Rambis.

Jefferson missed losses Friday against Dallas at Target Center and Saturday at Memphis. The team sent player development assistant coach Darrick Martin and an assistant strength coach to Florida to work him out daily while he was gone.

"If something like that is weighing on a player's mind, I just believe it's so important to go," Rambis said. "Especially when you're dealing with family members who had such a huge impact on your life. You've got to do what's right. I just think it was right for him to go spend time with his grandmother."

Jefferson made his first eight shots, played 33 minutes in his first game in a week and led the team with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Who's that guy?

Rockets forward Trevor Ariza entered the Wolves' locker room less than 90 minutes before Wednesday's game.

Was there a big trade in the air?

Nope. He just stopped by to chat with Rambis, his assistant coach in Los Angeles with the Lakers last season. Ariza signed a five-year, $33 million free-agent contract with Houston last summer and has bloomed into an 18.5-point-a-game scorer on a team that has played so far this season without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.

"Trevor is such a unique individual, an absolute joy to work with and coach," Rambis said. "He was just scratching the surface of who he could be as a ballplayer last year."

Little big men

Wolves rookie Jonny Flynn on Wednesday finally faced somebody about his size, Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks. Was Flynn tempted to post up the little fellow?

"I actually thought about it," Flynn said. "I was going to talk to Kurt about it. He might get mad if I sat on the block, but I might get one of them."

Etc.

• The first 5,000 fans at the Nov. 27 game against Phoenix get a pair of handsome plastic black-rimmed eyeglasses, sort of like the ones Rambis so stylishly wore when he played for the Lakers. That game, by the way, is an unusually late 8:30 p.m. game on the night after Thanksgiving because it's an ESPN game.

• Wolves forward Damien Wilkins will distribute to needy families today nearly 200 Thanksgiving dinner baskets he has purchased. The Wolves also are offering two tickets for anyone who makes a $30 donation to the Emergency Foodshelf Network (www.emergencyfoodshelf.org).

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