Before the Wolves took off for another two-game, back-to-back road trip through Indiana and Milwaukee, we sat down with Al Jefferson to see how he's feeling:

MT: Coach Wittman told me there is no difference in responsibility for you regardless of if you're playing the four or the five.
Jefferson: Well, like I always tell everybody, the difference between the four and the five is really no difference. If anything, the five is more of a goaltender, but other than that there's no difference; especially with the plays that we run. There are just different spots. It's really no big deal to me if I play the four or the five, but it's just the different lineups. Coach made a point to me during training camp to learn both positions.

MT: How are you adjusting to the varying playing styles of your low-post teammates, like Theo Ratliff and Craig Smith? And offensively with Juwan Howard and Mark Blount, when you know you'll have more room to operate as they can step out and hit a jumper...
Jefferson: When I'm in with Theo, I know Theo's got my back. He's a big defensive, shot-blocking presence. When I'm in with Craig, Craig's got to know that I've got his back. So that's the difference with the defense. On offense, it's all about reading it. When I'm out there with Blizz and Juwan, I know they're going to pop and I'm going to be the duck-in guy. When I'm out there with Craig, it's a read. Craig is going to roll or not, go under. So that's not really a big deal on offense, because we've just got to read each other.

MT: So it's your responsibility to read the defense and react, whether you have a Blount or Howard stretching the defense, or a Smith slashing to the hoop.
Jefferson: Yeah, you've just got to read it. Either way it's a good thing because Craig, he likes to roll and he's a big presence down there. Then I have to roll up; it's the opposite with him and me. They come off me, I roll and then he has to go underneath. So, it's just all about reading, and all about rotation, who you play with, and how you know how your teammate plays.

MT: It's very, very early now, but you've already had a few games where you've been forced to deal with adversity. You started very slowly personally and as a team against Atlanta, and you told me earlier that can't happen. You have to be cranked up all the time.
Jefferson: That's all it is. No excuses. I mean, regardless of how things are going, we should always step on the court and be ready to compete. In the first half last night we weren't ready to compete. But we came out great in the third quarter, and we can build on that.

MT: What can you say about working with assistant coach Ed Pinckney and Kevin McHale on your low-post game?
Jefferson: Me and coach and Kevin McHale have been working, and it's been real good. It's not just me, but Chris Richard, all the big guys. We get together and work with (Pinckney and McHale) because they've been to where we're trying to go, and they've done what we're trying to do.

MT: Do you feel like you've taken a few steps ahead in your development than you were at last spring?
Jefferson: Oh, yeah, most definitely. That has a lot to do with my offseason, working hard, and then working with guys like Kevin McHale and coach. You can't help but to get better. You want to get better. One thing I can say about myself and the other big guys is that we want to get better every day we step on the court. I can see a difference in my game already. Just the way I think, and now I'm playing a totally different role. I'm one of the leaders now on this team, so I can't show my frustration, I can't get down on myself now, because I'm one of the leaders, so I've got to set an example.

MT: The secret is out, Al. You know other teams are going to be scheming just to stop you, and you'll be facing double-teams every night. Do you feel like you saw that after the All-Star break last year?
Jefferson: Well, toward the end of the season, teams double-teamed and this and that. I'm pretty sure I'm going to see that from day one this season. So, that's just another challenge for me. Double-teams never stop Tim Duncan from doing what he does -- I'm not saying that he's trying to score on the double-team -- but it's a way to pass the ball out. You have to know when to move the ball, and trust your teammates to get it back to you on the re-post. Passing out of the double-team helps get the open guys shots, and that'll make teams stop double-teaming.

MT: Moving away from on-the-court stuff for a second, how have things been off the court with your teammates? You seem to be having a good time together.
Jefferson: Oh, most definitely. This time of the year, all the way up until the season ends, you're going to see these guys more than your family. So this is your family now. It's not basketball all the time, so you have to get together and be cool off the court. The one thing about this team is that all of us know each other already. So, it was real easy for us to get to know one another and be real good friends. That was the easy part, and we have a lot of fun with each other.

MT: Well, Craig Smith mentioned that you and Gerald Green in particular like to give each other a hard time.
Jefferson: We're always laughing, we're always having a good time, but when it's time to get focused, we've got great vets like Juwan and Buck to help. Guys like that keep us focused so that we're ready. That's what we need.

MT: OK Al, talk to you later.
Jefferson: No doubt.