NBA: Timberwolves face the question of good player, bad team and the All-Star Game

MINNEAPOLIS - The Timberwolves have called upon ingenuity and bribery while promoting Al Jefferson for his first All-Star Game appearance.

Picking up where Portland left off this time last year with its "iRoy," the Wolves last week express-shipped every Western Conference coach a Global Positioning System programmed with highlight video and game-by-game statistics placed on a road map leading to Phoenix, site of next month's game.

But there's a bigger question than what a $200 gizmo can buy:

How much difference will a month make?

This time last year, the Wolves had won seven of 41 games and didn't turn around their season until Martin Luther King Day. This time, the Wolves reach the season's halfway point with 14 victories and a month's momentum since they ended a 13-game losing streak and embarked upon a stretch in which they have won 11 of 15 games.

Will it be enough for a fellow left home last season because his team won only a handful of games? "It's always good to win games," Jefferson said. "Last year, that had to be the reason why I didn't make it. I just wish we would have won a few more games this year."

All-Star Game reserves will be announced Thursday. Western Conference coaches must pick at least one more center to complement starter Yao Ming. Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal and Jefferson appear to be the favorites for that other spot. O'Neal has four championship rings, 14 All-Star Game appearances and the home-team factor in his favor. His Suns also entered this weekend 23-17. O'Neal likely will make the team. Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol and New Orleans forward David West are the type of players on winning teams who could win a spot over Jefferson.

"Me being kind of old-school, if you're comparing players, my nod goes to the guy on the playoff-caliber team," Phoenix coach Terry Porter said. "It's not a knock on him. I think it's always easier to get good numbers on a bad team. Good teams, you have more options. I don't think there's a coach who votes who wouldn't want Al on their team.

Maybe at some point, they'll have 15 guys on a roster and everybody will have a chance to be an All Star."

Former NBA star Chris Webber made an impassioned plea for star players on bad teams during TNT's Thursday telecast announcing All-Star starters.

"I do have respect for guys who are winning and are averaging just as many as points as you are," Jefferson said. "But a guy who's not in the conversation just because his team isn't winning, I don't think that's fair."

Jefferson's defense often still is suspect, but his per-game averages of 22.2 points and 10.7 rebounds are better than Yao's, better than Shaq's, better than any other Western Conference center. Yes, Jefferson is asked to do more. He also faces defenses that collapse more often on him than probably anyone else.

The Trail Blazers last season distributed iPods with Brandon Roy's highlights and stats in a successful, deserved bid to make him an All Star. Wolves coach Kevin McHale said he doesn't like such campaigns, but the Wolves sent out the "Model No. 25: Double-Double Machine" GPS gadget anyway.

"Pretty much no," McHale said when asked if he approves of the ploy. "They get in on their own merits. Al's an All-Star player, I don't think there's any question about that. Winning is something people should take into consideration, there's no doubt about that. I think Al deserves it, but that's for everybody else to vote on. He's going to make the All-Star team many, many times."

The question, of course, is when.

"If it happens, it'd be the best thing in the world," Jefferson said. "If it doesn't, I won't be mad, I won't be disappointed. I'll just work harder. Like Mac said, I'll get my chances. I believe that, too, once we get things turned around here."