The Minnesota Timberwolves are now 2-0 without Anthony Edwards. Granted, one of these wins came against the tanking Utah Jazz, but every win counts for a Wolves team desperately fighting for playoff positioning. The main story of these past two games has been Julius Randle getting back on track.
Randle notched 32 points, seven rebounds, and two assists against the Phoenix Suns, followed by a 21-point, eight-assist outing against the Jazz. On top of this, he had a stellar 32-point game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their last contest with Ant. Luckily, all signs point to Randle's post-All-Star game slump being behind him.
Jaden McDaniels' slump wasn't as discussed as Randle's. Nevertheless, during the Wolves' recent 1-4 stretch, McDaniels averaged just 7.4 points and shot 13.3 percent from 3-point land.
Thankfully, just like Randle, McDaniels appears to be out of the woods after a 16-point game against the Suns and a 17-point game against the Jazz. Crucially, he is knocking down 40 percent of his 3s in the past two games and has gotten back to his elite defensive standards.
Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels are vital to the Timberwolves' success
Randle and McDaniels showing signs of getting on track isn't just a welcome sign for Minnesota -- it's an essential one. The Wolves need consistent production out of their second and third option if they have any chance to make a deep playoff run.
It's hard to argue that Randle and McDaniels aren't inconsistent players. However, a kinder term to use would be rhythm players. If these past two games are any indication, this four-plus game stretch without Ant might help the Wolves' complementary stars build some serious momentum for the playoffs.
There's no understating the magnitude of this for Minnesota. I've written a lot about the importance of Randle providing the team with consistent play, but in short, the Wolves desperately need him to be an effective 20 ppg scorer and high-level playmaker.
Regarding McDaniels, though, he might be the ultimate ceiling raiser. At his best, he looks like an All-Star two-way wing. He can knock down 3-pointers, attack the rim, and stop on a dime for mid-range shots. Other nights, due to a lack of involvement and/or aggression, he disappears.
When McDaniels is firing on all cylinders, the Timberwolves truly look like a top-tier contender. The flip side is that his off-nights are often paired with a poor overall showing for the Wolves.
Just like the Wolves need dependable secondary creation from Randle, they need quality tertiary creation from McDaniels to reach their ceiling. And that doesn't even account for his immense defensive value.
Hopefully, Randle and McDaniels can carry their recent positive play through the final 12 games of the regular season and into the playoffs.