Jefferson Leads Wolves To Win In Overtime

Wolves Postgame Audio
Kevin McHale

Al Jefferson

Kevin Love

Sebastian Telfair

Good luck finding any nails left on the fingers of the Target Center crowd on Sunday night. Behind most of the game, the Wolves battled Chicago to force overtime and then slipped past the Bulls 109-108 to improve to 15-27 on the season.

"It was a gritty win for us," head coach Kevin McHale said. "I don't think I'll watch the film, I think I'll just wonder all my life how we won and that will be the end of it."

Al Jefferson is sure making his case for an All-Star bid as the center carried the Wolves with a season-high 39 points. Minnesota faced a 16-point deficit but battled back with Jefferson giving the Wolves a 58-42 advantage in the paint.

"Big Al [Jefferson] was tremendous, what can you say about that. He was cramping, I asked if he wanted to come out, and he said absolutely not, so he was in there battling. He really fought hard tonight," McHale said.

Kevin Love was also instrumental in the victory with 19 points and 15 rebounds. In the fourth quarter, Love scored five straight points to pull the Wolves within four at the 2:52 mark of regulation. Jefferson then scored on a twirling hook shot in the lane over Bulls center Joakim Noah. Minnesota tied the game at 97-97 behind an odd tipped shot from Jefferson after Noah initially blocked the ball high in the air. Chicago rookie Derrick Rose missed a potential game-winner and the Wolves rode a 4-0 run to close the quarter into the overtime session.

"Kevin was just outstanding out there. He's just a gritty, tough, hard-nosed kid. I tell you, if that ball goes up on the glass, he feels he should get it and more often than not, he does," McHale said.

With 41.3 seconds left in the extra period, Randy Foye was clutch once again. In the previous wins in January, Foye has hit several 3-point shots but on Sunday night, the shooting guard drove to the basket and hit a one-handed layup off the glass to push Minnesota on top 109-108. Chicago had another opportunity to win the game with the ball on the final possession but Sebastian Telfair played exceptional defense to contest a Rose jumper. The Bulls then missed several attempts at the rim and fell for the fifth straight game.

For Chicago, Rose led the team with 23 points despite not being able to hit a clutch shot in the final minutes of regulation and overtime. Luol Deng scored 15 second half points and finished with 22 in the game.

Along with Love, the Wolves were again sparked by the performance of Rodney Carney off the bench. Carney recorded 13 points and ignited an 11-2 run in the second quarter with a breakaway dunk that jolted the home crowd to their feet. Telfair kept the Wolves afloat in the first quarter with nine points while Minnesota fell behind by 11 at the end of the quarter.

Facing a road game in Milwaukee on Monday night, the Wolves are now the best team in the league in 2009 with a 9-2 record in January.

Matt's Stats

Fan Reactions:
"Rodney Carney is kind of the Wolves' sparkplug. The team has a different gear when him on the floor." Brian, 24, St. Louis Park
"They need a strong start in the 3rd quarter." Andrew, 24, Minneapolis

-- Though the Wolves grabbed the victory, it wasn't the prettiest effort. The Wolves started 0-for-11 in the first quarter, and the starters besides Al Jefferson were a combined 10-for-38 from the field. The poor shooting early and 15 turnovers led to 16 fast break points for Chicago and 57.6% shooting for the Bulls through three quarters.

-- Jefferson's 39 points were a season-high, and he finished just one rebound shy of his 24th double-double of the year. Kevin Love was also big inside, as he finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds. It was his fourth double-double of the month and eight of the season. His 15 rebounds matched his career-high. In large part due to their strong play, the Wolves finished with a 58-to-42 advantage in points in the paint.

-- The Bulls, who are 6th in the league in blocks per game, finished with a whopping 11 blocks, seven of them from the hands of Joakim Noah, who also finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Curiously enough, the Wolves' only block came from diminutive Sebastian Telfair, who is generously listed at 6'0".

-- Other than Love and Jefferson, no Timberwolves player scored made a basket between Rodney Carney's three-point shot with 10:19 to go in the fourth quarter and Randy Foye's game-winning layup with 41 seconds left in overtime. Foye's layup was only his second made field goal of the game, and his first since the second quarter.

-- Mike Miller, known for his proficient outside shooting, has connected on just five three-pointers since he returned from injury at the beginning of January, and has reached double figures in scoring only once in 2009. The career 40% shooter from downtown is shooting just 32.7% this season.

-- Though Chicago finished a respectable 47.7% from the field, they went just 8-for-29 after the third quarter. They were also out-rebounded 6-to-16 in the fourth quarter.

--Matt Everhart