BOSTON - Doc Rivers huddled with his coaches Sunday morning to consider the day's opponent and ended up evaluating Al Jefferson, the Timberwolves forward who a few hours later delivered another 34-point performance that, unless there's an injury, still won't get him to this month's All-Star Game.
"We were discussing who's a better post player than Al, and we had zero names," said Rivers, who coached Jefferson during his first three NBA seasons in Boston. "(Tim) Duncan faces you up a lot. But just low-post, back-to-the-basket scorers? In the league, there's just not a lot of them. "If you go by that criteria, you're probably an All-Star. Not if you can't come up with more than two or three names, and we didn't."
Jefferson's scoring exhibition Sunday against a rugged defense intent on stopping him showed he's a far more polished offensive player than the guy who left the Celtics two summers ago in that historic trade for Kevin Garnett.
He displayed a sense of humor Sunday as well as an uncommon scoring touch. Somebody asked Jefferson what parts of his game he has developed since he was a Celtic.
"Well," he said, "I've used my left hand three times since I left Boston."
He was serious when asked about Rivers' comments.
"I appreciate that," Jefferson said. "He was my coach coming into this league, and he's seen me coming from nothing. For him to say that means a lot."
Ollie visits locker room
Injured Wolves guard Kevin Ollie was in the team's locker room in Boston. He has been home in Connecticut with his family rehabbing a dislocated elbow, and said Sunday that it is also is fractured. He was cleared last week to begin shooting and said he was hopeful he could return to the Wolves sometime after the All-Star break.
"Every day I'm getting better," he said. "I can't put a timetable on it, but hopefully soon. Hopefully, I'll get back and be part of this team. Forget about getting out on the court and playing. I just miss the guys and the camaraderie we have in the locker room. It's been great to see all their hard labor pay off, but it has been tough not being a part of it."
McHale reflects
Wolves coach and former Celtics great Kevin McHale on coming back to Boston and the "new" Garden: "Things have changed a great deal. The only thing that was familiar was the little old house that no one ever sold over there. Everything else has been blown up. I woke up this morning, looked out the window and saw the Commons. It's always good to come back."
Jefferson on his former team and teammates after being greeted warmly by the Garden crowd: "It's always fun to come back and play in front of this crowd and against my guys. They're my friends. We came into this league together and we'll always be family."
History revisited
The Wolves acquired Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green and Theo Ratliff from Boston in the Garnett trade. The one player they couldn't get was point guard Rajon Rondo.
McHale was asked if he came close to getting Rondo. He paused for a good bit, smacked hard on his gum and answered, "I don't think we got Rondo, did we?"
Doc's parting words
On Jefferson not making the Western Conference All-Star team: "I looked at his numbers and then I looked at the West and I said, `Gee, he should be on the All-Star team.' You know how I feel about Al. It would have been great for him. His time is coming."
On Wolves rookie Kevin Love, who had six points and 10 rebounds Sunday: "He's going to be a monster. He really is. He's a pain in the butt to keep off the glass. We had two and three guys trying to and he still got his hands on some."
