I was checking out the Twolves box score from last night

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/boxscore?game_id=2008121523

They were up big early, and I was surprised to see they lost in a blowout. Then I looked at the box score. Al jefferson, despite being far and away the best player on the team, played 33 minutes. He was not in any foul trouble. Brian Cardinal, who would not be one of the top 50 players in the NBDL, got 12 minutes. I would mock Kevin Ollie getting 25 minutes, but he got 17 points. Kevin Love, one of the bright spots of the team, got 15 boards in only 26 minutes (Love must wonder if the millions is worth being in freezing cold Minnesota, playing on a 4-20 team, missing out on another season of UCLA hoops and, ummm co-eds).

Poor Big Al.

In the last 2+ seasons, despite his stellar play and constant effort, Al Jefferson's teams have gone 50-136. And he just got news that his new coach is going to be Kevin McHale. You have to feel a little sorry for the guy. 

From Celtics.com:

Through 18 games last season, the Celtics were 16-2, and held opponents to 41.5% shooting. Through 18 games this season, the Celtics went 16-2, and have held opponents to 40.8% shooting.

  

*Matt Cassel continues to play well. What is amazing is that he is doing it without much of a running game.

 

*The Red Zone is a problem for the Pats. It cost them the Indy game, and it almost hurt them yesterday. Luckily, Sammy Morris was able to get in on 4^th and goal (barely) for the game winning score. Ben Watson grabbed a TD yesterday, but he has not been much of a factot this year,  Welker does not seem to be breaking loose in the red zone, Moss and Cassel do not appear to be on the same page all the time, and they have trouble running the ball. Cassel has managed to score on a couple of scrambles up the middle, but the red zone has been a problem on both sides of the ball for the Pats. It will be interesting to see if the Pats get a running back in the off-season. Sammy Morris is a stop-gap, Faulk is a specialty guy, and Maroney may be looking at the dreaded “bust” label. Hopefully he can bounce back, but I am not sold.

 

*Speaking of the off-season, it is not as watched as last year’s San Fran’s pick, but the Pats have the Chargers 2^nd round pick this year. At the time, you would have thought that would be late, late 2^nd round, but right now, it looks to be mid-second at worst. Keep an eye on that the last few weeks.

 

*Pats went 11-5 in 2001, got a #2 seed, and won the whole thing. This year, 11-5 may keep them home for the playoffs. Miami and NYJ hold a lot of tiebreakers over the Pats, plus they play each other in Week 17.

 

*The Lions had their chance yesterday. That is it. They are going 0-16.

 

*What has happened to the Broncos running backs is almost the equivalent to being a Spinal Tap drummer. Peyton Hillis went down yesterday and they had to turn to Tatum Bell.

 

*I found myself pulling for the Steelers yesterday…..rooting against the Cowboys is a lot of fun, even if I am no fan of the Steelers either.

 

*Peter King said it best….Baltimore-Washington was the varsity vs. the JV. A complete mismatch.

 

*Dick Enberg took 4 plays to get a name wrong yesterday. Must be tough for Enberg. It is not like Randy Moss stands out or anything.

 

*I will never bore anyone with fantasy football talk, but let’s put it this way. I will be rooting against D’Angleo Williams, one of the hottest players in the NFL, tonight. C’mon Bucs defense!

 

* I have said from day one that Tavaris Jackson should be playing over Gus Frerotte. The Vikings lose to the Lions if Gus does not get hurt.

 

*Has Mike Singletery done enough to keep his job? I have to think the answer is yes. And Shaun Hill may be the QB for the 49ers going forward.

 

*The Seahawks and Pats got “flexed” out, and rightfully so, but it was a pretty exciting game, certainly better than what NBC put forth last night.