With star center Al Jefferson sidelined indefinitely because of a knee injury, the Timberwolves improvised an offensive scheme Tuesday that will be sketched in pencil the rest of the season.
Rebounding savant Kevin Love absorbed more responsibilities as the 20-year-old rookie replaced Jefferson against the Toronto Raptors at Target Center. Sliding into Love's power forward position was Ryan Gomes. That reopened a spot in the rotation for sharpshooter Mike Miller, who was plagued by a sprained ankle and shooting slump that forced him to come off the bench the previous 19 games.
Expect more than glimpses of big men Jason Collins, Mark Madsen and Calvin Booth, who have played sparingly since Kevin McHale assumed coaching duties in early December.
Moreover, with forward Craig Smith sidelined at least two more weeks because of a broken rib, the Wolves are lacking more than Jefferson's team-leading 23 points and 11 rebounds per game. They are missing experience and girth inside and will to spread more of the scoring responsibilities.
"We're going to have to be a couple months experimental with how we're going to play offense," said McHale. "But this team's going to have to strive to get better."
Love, already starting in place of Smith, will shoulder as much burden as he can handle. He played 38 minutes and scored 15 points with 11 rebounds, his sixth double-double in his past nine games.
McHale, who has been effusive in his praise of Love, expects him to play 35-plus minutes over the season's final 32 games.
"Kevin's maturation to becoming a great team defender and some of the stuff he does is just phenomenal," McHale said. "All those little things he's done beautifully, extended minutes, they get harder to do. He's going to have to focus on that."
Jefferson's loss is another opportunity for Love to justify the eight-player trade that acquired him from Memphis for O.J. Mayo in a draft night deal. And reveal how much resolve is in the Wolves, who turned around a dreadful 4-23 start only to lose their franchise player to a serious injury.
"We're not dead. We're not out. Everybody just needs to step up," Love said. "We've all stepped up our game a little bit, but it's going to have to be more. Different productivity from different players, including myself."
More injury news: McHale said guard Kevin Ollie (dislocated elbow) still cannot straighten his left arm and likely is two weeks away from returning.
Briefly: The Wolves are off five days for the all-star break and scheduled to reconvene next week in Washington for a game Tuesday against the Wizards.
Their next home game is Feb. 20 against Indiana.
Wolves guard Rashad McCants missed the game because of an illness.
