RealGM

Minneapolis/St. Paul – Minnesota Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson has been named the NBA's Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Dec. 29-Jan. 4, the league announced today. This is the third weekly honor of Jefferson's career and second as a member of the Timberwolves.

Jefferson averaged 27.3 points (.524 FG%, .821 FT%), 12.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists as the Wolves went 3-1 on the week. The Wolves opened the week with a 108-98 overtime win vs. Memphis on Dec. 29 in which Jefferson poured in a season-high 38 points and collected 16 rebounds, with 19 of those points (on 7-for-8 shooting) coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. After dropping a 107-100 decision at Dallas the following night, Jefferson again paced the Wolves with 32 points and 10 rebounds in a 115-108 win over Memphis on Jan. 2. He tallied his third double-double of the week with 18 points and 14 boards in Minnesota's 102-92 win at Chicago on Jan. 3. Including his double-doubles in all three Minnesota victories last week, Jefferson now has 18 on the season (8th in NBA), and his two 30/10 games on the week give him three in Minnesota's last eight games.

Averaging 22.8 ppg (11th in NBA) and 10.4 rpg (8th), Jefferson joins Orlando's Dwight Howard and San Antonio's Tim Duncan as the only players in the league this season averaging 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game. Jefferson also ranks 11th in blocked shots (1.76 bpg) and 30th in field-goal percentage (49.8%), and is shooting a career-best 77.0% from the free-throw line this season. Jefferson concludes the week having connected on 20 consecutive attempts from the line.

Calinks3 wrote:If Wolves were somehow able to play slightly better that 500 ball until the All-sTar break, Al may be able to get into the game.