Wolves: 2 old rivals with much in common to square off

Two seasons ago, Randy Wittman was an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic, where he spent a good bit of his time helping Dwight Howard refine what was already an impressive game.

Wittman, now the coach of the Timberwolves, is doing the same thing with Al Jefferson, the forward/center/franchise cornerstone-in-training who was the key part of the Kevin Garnett trade.

So Wittman knows what he's talking about when he talks about these two.

When the Timberwolves play host to Orlando tonight, chances are Howard and Jefferson will find themselves pushing and shoving one another up and down the Target Center court much of the time. Nothing new there. These two guys know each other pretty well. Both are sons of the South, both graduated from high school the same year, both opted for the NBA draft the following spring, both got picked in the first round, with Howard going first overall.

They have faced each other a number of times, from high school all-star games to matchups in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

Both are big men who play both power forward and center. Both can get physical and both can clean up on the boards. And while Howard has made the more immediate league impact, the two had nearly identical stats last season.

Wittman is not surprised.

"They're a little bit the same," Witt- man said Monday. "Dwight has gone through all the same things that [Jefferson] is going through now. ... Handling the double-team, being a focal point in the post."

Ask Jefferson about Howard and you'll get a smile and a chuckle.

"Dwight Howard is a difficult player to guard," Jefferson said. "You kind of have to treat him like [Shaquille O'Neal] because he's so explosive, so big. If he gets on the block, he's scoring. A lot of people say he's not a good offensive player, but I think people don't know what they're talking about. He's explosive. He has that jump hook. He's everything a team wants in a big man."

Of course, the Wolves are hoping the same for Jefferson, who has had double-doubles in points and rebounding in each of the first two games.

With newly signed Rashard Lewis playing power forward, the Magic has used Howard more at center this year. On Monday, Wolves starting center Theo Ratliff went home because of flu-like symptoms. If he's not 100 percent tonight, the Wolves could go with a lineup that has Jefferson at center.

In any event, Jefferson and Owens have faced off more than a few times.

Last year, Jefferson averaged 21 points, 1.3 blocks and 8.6 rebounds in three games vs. Orlando. In those games, Howard averaged 13.3 points, 2.7 blocks and 13.3 rebounds.

"He makes me work for every score," Jefferson said. "But we're great friends off the court, have been since high school. We know each other's game. When we play against each other we try to add something new."

Howard has made more of a name as a rebounder and shot blocker. Jefferson is already becoming known as a creative scorer in the post.

"Dwight never lifts a weight and is as big as an ox," Wittman said. "Al has a different body build. Howard is more of a high flier, while Al is more of a bang-it brute in the paint."

Said Jefferson: "We're both great rebounders. He's a better shot-blocker than me, and I can score in a lot of different ways [more] than he can."

In the coming weeks and months, Jefferson will learn what it means to be a big man in the Western Conference. Tonight will be a throwback in a way, a return to battles fought through the years.

"I know this," Jefferson said. "When you play against Howard, you have to bring your A game."

Kent Youngblood • kyoungblood@startribune.com