The Minnesota Timberwolves took a 2-1 series edge over the Lakers on Friday night. Anthony Edwards shined late and brought the Wolves home, but they do not win without Jaden McDaniels. The 6’9 forward has been guarding Luka Doncic and tied his career-high with 30 points in Game 3. It has been a stellar series for the 24-year-old as he solved an issue Minnesota faces.
McDaniels is a stout defender with the size to match up on bigs and the quickness to guard on the perimeter. He was second-team All-Defense in 2024 and deserves plenty of love for his performance on that end of the floor.
His offense is more of a question mark. McDaniels hit his jumpers during the 2024 playoff run but is just a 34.8 percent 3-point shooter for his career. When the jumpers aren’t falling what does McDaniels bring on offense?
His 25 in Game 1 and 30 on Friday night have helped the Wolves gain the advantage. McDaniels was held to eight points in their lone loss in this series. His ability to attack off the dribble, especially when Luka and Reaves are guarding is winning Minnesota this round.
Timberwolves no longer have to worry about Jaden McDaniels being left open
McDaniels has done a fantastic job attacking closeouts and finishing inside. He was 12 of 17 on 2-pointers in Game 3 with every make coming in the paint. The 24-year-old cashed three 3-pointers in Game 1 but did not have his jumper in Game 3. Instead of passing out of an open look, McDaniels put his head down and went to the rim. He shot 73.0 percent inside three feet for the regular season and was finishing with ease in the pivotal contest.
The Lakers will keep leaving him open as they attempt to stop Anthony Edwards. Julius Randle has been a key outlet in this series, but McDaniels must keep making shots. The Wolves need to find him and trust the 6’9 forward will make the right play. His impressive drives and finishes have Minnesota believing they can pull the upset. He has to keep it up to make that a reality.
The Wolves don’t need McDaniels going for 30 every night, but averaging 15 with rebounding and limited turnovers is the key to a Minnesota upset. He found a way to produce more when the team needed it most during their conference finals run in 2024. Can he do it again in 2025? So far, so good.
Jaden McDaniels is expending significant energy guarding Luka Doncic. Nobody would criticize him for not stepping up on offense. McDaniels is doing it all and has Timberwolves fans dreaming again.
This is the improvement everyone was waiting for. Now that it is here, supporters should enjoy the show. Minnesota is back, and this could be a massive upset. McDaniels will deserve plenty of credit and must keep it for the Wolves to continue to advance.
The Minnesota Timberwolves know what to expect defensively. Jaden McDaniels raises the team’s ceiling. If he keeps attacking and finishing at the rim, the Wolves will have a serious shot, which is all fans can ask for with Anthony Edwards leading the team. McDaniels has made a leap, and there is more room to grow. The Timberwolves got a good one, and are ready to win now. McDaniels will play a crucial role in whatever happens from here, and fans are finally starting to trust he will shine.