Big Al's back

"I won as many games in the month of November as I won all last season," he said. "When I think of it like that ... man, that's just crazy for me."

Actually, the guy known simply as Big Al -- says so emblazoned right on his size 18 sneakers -- exaggerates slightly.

The Jazz won only 13 games in November when, so unlike the games he played with Boston and the Timberwolves the past five seasons, it found every possibly way to snatch victory from defeat.

When Jefferson returns to Target Center Wednesday night for the first time since the Wolves dealt him for two future first-round draft picks, he will do so with a 20-9 team -- five more victories than Jefferson won all last season -- that plays now as a prelude for the playoffs.

"I hope they don't boo me like they did LeBron in Cleveland," he said slyly, referring to his return to an arena where he played three seasons. "But I don't think so."

"This is a good place for me," he said last week outside the Jazz locker room at EnergySolutions Arena. "Not much to do at night. Stay focused. Stay out of trouble. It's perfect. There are a lot of good places to go fishing here, the mountains are beautiful. When the season's over, I'm looking forward to trying a lot of stuff, except skiing.

"I'm not skiing."
(...)
"I'll be 26 next month, and I just didn't have the energy to go through another two, three years of losing before they'll be a playoff team, which I think they will be," Jefferson said. "We both agreed on that. David Kahn could have traded me anywhere. Most teams don't trade their best player within the same division, same conference. You hardly ever see that.

"They did right by me, and that's what I appreciate. I had good times there. Fans were wonderful. They supported us even though we didn't give them much to support. I tell ya, I never have anything bad to say about Minnesota. I love Minnesota. I miss my teammates. There's always going to be love there, except when I come to Target Center and Kevin Love and Darko try to go at my head."