Celts Still Have A Hold On Big Al

Al Jefferson’s time zone has changed, but his routine is still drudgingly familiar.

He gets to the gym early, hooks up with people like Randy Foye, Corey Brewer and old friend Ryan Gomes, and puts his mind to becoming a better defender.

And a better shooter and passer as well. Each day, despite the renaissance on his former Celtics [team stats] team - thanks mainly to his inclusion in a huge trade package for Kevin Garnett in late July - Jefferson tells himself that it’s great to be a T’Wolf.


“Ah, no way, man - no way I’m thinking it would be great to be back there right now with everything they have,” Johnson said Thursday following his daily morning workout. “The only thing in the back of my mind right now is that I want to beat them.”
Besides, Jeffersonhas made a new friend.

Just as Kevin McHale once took a young Garnett under his legendary wing span, his thirst for teaching has been revitalized by Jefferson this summer.

Think of it as a young guitar prodigy starting an apprenticeship with Eric Clapton, or learning trumpet from the late Miles Davis.

McHale, as one of the most singular - if not the most singular - post scorers in NBA history, still has a lot to pass on in the fading art of post offense.

Jefferson, as one of the NBA’s few young big men whose offense is based in the paint, has much to learn from this collaboration.

“He was the man with the million dollar moves,” Jefferson, who was born in January of 1985, said of someone he has only seen on classic sports video. “He was tough. Ed (Lacerte, the Celtics trainer) told me once that you had to make him not play.

“Kevin McHale comes down every day, almost, and helps me out,” he said. “It’s amazing. He’s not selfish - he just wants to help. More than anything he’s teaching me to understand why I do certain moves.
“I’m fortunate. I’m learning this from someone who made it look easier than just about anyone else. I’m not saying that (assistant) coaches (Dave) Wohl and (Clifford) Ray didn’t do a lot for me (with the Celtics), but this is a special chance, working with (McHale).”

Beyond his introductory press conference to the local media being postponed by last month’s horrific bridge collapse in Minneapolis, there has been little to break Jefferson’s resolution to focus on the present.
He wasn’t caught off guard when news of the blockbuster trade broke.

“I really respect Danny (Ainge) for how he handled it,” said Jefferson. “He called me two or three days before the trade happened and told me what was going on. I have to say that I thank him for that. I was ready for it.

“But I just kept trying to do what I always do. The day after the trade took place I got a place (in Minneapolis) to live, and the day after that I started working out again. If this had happened a year ago I would have been devastated. A year ago, my worst fear was getting traded, and that was on my mind a lot.

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source : bostonherald.com