<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Once you get past the 99-97 final score, the worst stat from the standpoint of the larger Celtics picture last night might have been the fact that developing big man Al Jefferson played just six minutes against the Timberwolves. There apparently was a message in the splinters for the 20-year-old rookie, who came out with 6:24 left in the second quarter and never returned. ``I didn't play Al but six minutes because he refused to play defense,'' coach Doc Rivers said. ``And he's going to sit on the bench until he plays defense.'' Jefferson had two rebounds and a turnover in his stint. He didn't take a single shot. On the other hand, Mark Blount [news] appeared to rise a tad from his funk. He had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes. ``Mark played great,'' Rivers said. ``He did a lot of good things for us. I thought he battled. I thought he showed great energy, and his intensity was up. We need that from him every night. You know, it's not easy being taken out of the starting lineup and all that stuff, but I thought Mark was sensational.'' </div> Source
No matter what Doc says, the major reason that Al lost PT was because Blount actually looked like a basketball player out there. Besides the usual fumbling of the ball, Blount was a factor. At one point, Perkins was ready to check in, but Blount stepped it up a notch and Doc called him back to the bench. If the usual Blount was out there, Al would've racked up more minutes.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If the usual Blount was out there, Al would've racked up more minutes</div> I tend to agree with that. However, I agree with the principle Doc employed for not giving him more PT. Those are the type of stands you have to make with young players sometimes.
