After picking up a double-double in his first NBA start Monday, Wolves forward Nathan Knight summed up the situation pretty well:
Jaden McDaniels making most of his opportunities to play lately
The second-year forward had 35 points and 11 rebounds combined in the Timberwolves' back-to-back home games this week.
December 31, 2021 at 6:04AM
"You hate to have guys out with COVID or other issues,'' he said. "But an opportunity is an opportunity.''
Yes it is.
As one Wolves player after another fell into — and crept out of — the league's health and safety protocols, the opportunity for big minutes has presented itself to a few players. Nobody has taken advantage of it more than Jaden McDaniels.
In the two-game, back-to-back homestand this week — a victory over Boston and a loss to New York — McDaniels scored 35 points, made 13 of 25 shots, grabbed 11 rebounds, had two assists and five blocks.
Against New York, McDaniels — a highly regarded 6-8, 185-pound, second-year forward — had his best game in a Wolves uniform.
On the offensive end he made seven of 11 shots and scored 18 points. But even more impressive was his defense. Guarding New York's 6-8, 250-pound Julius Randle, McDaniels more than held his own. Randle scored 13 points, but was 5-for-20 from the field. McDaniels had five blocks, with four coming against Randle.
"He's been building towards that slowly,'' Wolves coach Chris Finch said after Thursday's practice. "We're just pushing him to be more aggressive. More aggressive, more determined. Get downhill, play with more force, less indecision. He wants to fit in. So he's always looking to do the right things. Sometimes he leaves himself out of the equation."
You can see it happening. McDaniels has scored in double figures in five straight games — a career first. With ramped-up responsibility and usage with so many players out, his game has grown with the opportunity.
Nowhere is that more true than on defense. One of McDaniels' biggest problems earlier this season was avoiding foul trouble.
But against the bulkier Randle, McDaniels was able to match his opponent physically while committing just one foul.
"It's just knowing the personnel and knowing what certain players like to do,'' he said. "And just beating them to their spot and having the other four players on the court help me. That makes it a lot easier. I take a lot of pride in that. I don't like people scoring on me.''
Finch said his staff has worked hard with McDaniels on avoiding foul trouble.
"His hands are better,'' Finch said. "We made a big emphasis on him. He gets his hands in a lot. Even though — and I'm on the officials on this all the time — everybody puts their hands in on the initial drive. But, for some reason, he's getting called at a higher rate for it.''
Perhaps that's changing. Time after time Monday, Randle tried to back in with the dribble on the lighter McDaniels. But it didn't work.
"He couldn't get anything clean,'' Finch said. "Even though he was trying to bully his way everywhere. Jaden stood him up, his length bothered [Randle].''
One of McDaniels' biggest assets is his ability to guard so many positions, from shooting guard to power forward. He has the quickness to stick with smaller players, and the length to play against bigger players in the post.
To Finch, the next step in McDaniels' development will be being more aggressive on offense, learning to turn the corner, get downhill to the basket. He'd like to see more of that, even when minutes become more difficult to come by as more players return to health.
"Really, for me, when the other guys come back its just staying to my game,'' McDaniels said. "Playing defense. Being aggressive in those certain times.''
The team will need to get used to Julius Randle’s dribbling, and there’s evidence Donte DiVincenzo should be limited to catch-and-shoot offense and turned loose on defense.
