Al is on the All Break Out Team

shrink · Post #1 » by **shrink** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:04 am

John Hollinger put together his annual All break out team, and Al Jefferson made the list of eleven:

John Hollinger wrote: Al Jefferson, Timberwolves
Yes, he's pretty much been an annual fixture on this list, but whaddaya want me to say? He keeps improving and, like Williams, has a good chance of making his first All-Star team this season. Jefferson should again be a force on the block, and this time he'll have a lot more help around him. Because Minnesota has potentially four 40 percent 3-point shooters to play on the perimeter (Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Rashad McCants and Kevin Love), teams won't be very willing to double him down low. The more interesting story will be how much he can improve on D -- if the Wolves get some stops, they can surprise a lot of people this season.

4ho5ive · Post #2 » by **4ho5ive** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:36 am

Hollinger seems very high on the Wolves. I love it.

hijacktheparade · Post #3 » by **hijacktheparade** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:24 am

Yeah, I'm happy that he's so optimistic too.

Post #4 » by **Calinks** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:56 am

Love a 40 percent 3-pt shooter?

Entengtot · Post #5 » by **Entengtot** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 5:46 am

give me some love

southern wolf · Post #6 » by **southern wolf** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 6:40 am

Nice to hear he's confident in the wolves, but didn't big al break out last season? How much more can he break out statswise? 25 and 15!? 30 and 20!? :bowdown:

...yeah probably too much.

Post #7 » by **revprodeji** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:09 pm

Or similar stats with a better % and winning. Focus on defense young fella.

TMo519 · Post #8 » by **TMo519** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:59 pm

Seriously though, Hollinger is right. If this team can learn how to play just average team defense and be decent at grabbing a few key stops, they could definitely shock people. I don't think anyone questions that this team will put up points. The whole thing is defense. If they put the effort into it, and can learn to trust each other, we might be in for a surprise this year.

Devilzsidewalk · Post #9 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 5:33 pm

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/pgStory?co ... to=8690286

Al Jefferson #20 in the NBA ahead of: Boozer, Manu, Chauncey, Baron, Caron, Marion, Arenas, Gasol, Kaman, VC, Roy, AI2, Aldridge, Gay

thats the facts

top 10 centers?

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/pgStory?co ... to=8659224

#3 after D12 and Yao

can't argue with the facts folks, this guy is a professional

IcemanMN · Post #10 » by **IcemanMN** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:03 pm

I am actually kind of baffled as to why Big Al is on Hollinger's list again. I mean, where do you go from 20 and 10? OK, maybe a breakout of being noticed for what he has done consistently.
I love it that Hollinger is talking up the Wolves. Hollinger tends to use stats to deflate the over-optimistic, so if HE thinks the Wolves could surprise, I am going to have to reconsider my forecast of 37 wins.

jack612 · Post #11 » by **jack612** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:09 pm

al is going to double his output 40 and 20 this year. book it.

Devilzsidewalk · Post #12 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:24 pm

Madsen is going to double his output to 38 shot attempts and 32% shooting this year. BOOK IT!!!!

4ho5ive · Post #13 » by **4ho5ive** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:21 pm

on 0-18 shooting from 3!!!!

CeltsfanSinceBirth · Post #14 » by **CeltsfanSinceBirth** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:55 pm

I caught a little bit of last night's game, and Al made me raise my eyebrows on a couple of plays. The first notable one was where he finished a play with his left hand. He rarely ever used the left hand to finish, so that was great to see from him.

There was another play where he made a quick pass as the double team was arriving. It didn't result in an assist, as I believe it was Foye or Ollie who was fouled. But it was a great pass. That was the knock on Al when he was in Beantown. Sometimes he wouldn't make the right pass out of double team's, and would opt to try and score over 2 guys. Now that he's become a better passer, I think that makes him so much more dangerous.

I predict we'll see Al go for 23-24 ppg, 11 rpg this season, but the main jump will be from apg, as well as an increase in his FTA. The guy's way too good of a scorer to be only getting to the line 5 times per game. He'll get more respect from the officials this year.

I miss watching this guy work down low. Amazing post moves. If I ever have the time, I might make the 6 hour drive down and catch a Wolves game.

Devilzsidewalk · Post #15 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:58 pm

another thing on FTA subject, there was a play where he could've gone up with a long hook - within his range and a shot he's taken plenty of times before - but instead he stepped forward and went for the layup and got hacked.

AND I saw him make 4 free throws in a row and 3 of them were net snappers. Form looked flawless.

Post #16 » by **revprodeji** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:04 pm

I think his scoring will stay the same, but in a different way. He will be shooting more FT's, but taking less shots. Because of the addition of Miller, and the healthy Foye. Al is not alone as the only offensive player. His assists should take a drastic climb. So his skill has increased, but the need for him to be the offensive mountain has declined. He even made a comment last night that he would rather have 18-11 on a winning team. It makes me think he is thinking that way.

Also, he had a half-court chest pass from a rebound to Gomes last night. Makes me think he is learning some things from Love perhaps.