Jaden McDaniels returns from illness that had him 'dizzy all the time'

Jaden McDaniels didn't make the team's trip to Washington D.C. and New York last week.

Coach Chris Finch said McDaniels could barely make it out of bed because of the flu-like illness he contracted that flew around the team and caused him to miss the last three games before Monday's 121-110 loss to Atlanta.

"It was tough. I just really couldn't do much beside just rest and wait," McDaniels said. "I tried to come shoot. My legs didn't feel good. I was dizzy all the time. There wasn't nothing I could do. Just get rest and take medicine till I got better."

McDaniels started to feel like himself Saturday, but still couldn't do much.

He said he got on the treadmill, but not for long.

"It was like two minutes, max, and then I got off," McDaniels said.

But he was able to play 22 minutes Monday night. McDaniels was still getting his legs under him shooting-wise – he went 2 of 9. But he has turned a corner and took the first step to get back to his regular minutes.

"Just had to get a few up-and-downs just to get my breath back," McDaniels said. "Other than that I didn't feel tired or nothing. I just felt like myself."

The Wolves seem to be beyond whatever flu-like illness was affecting them for now, as nobody missed Monday's game because of illness, the first time that happened in four games.

Towns back, but not feeling great

Karl-Anthony Towns returned from a one-game absence because of a bruised tailbone, and said he felt "terrible" after the game. But he added he didn't want to miss the game, especially since D'Angelo Russell was out because of right ankle soreness.

"I wanted to come back. I knew we were down a little bit with D-Lo," Towns said. "I didn't want to leave Ant [Anthony Edwards] out there by himself. Kind of pushed up the process a little bit. Happy to be back. Just wished we would've played with a little more oomph."

Down two QBs

Patrick Beverley and Russell missed the game Monday, and the two of them have been among the most vocal Wolves on defense this season, the so-called quarterbacks of the defense. Perhaps it was no coincidence why the Wolves had one of their worst defensive games of late in allowing Atlanta to hit a franchise-record 25 three-pointers.

"I'll say we wasn't on a string as we are defensively usually, like flying around," McDaniels said. "Sometimes it was predetermined rotations, so it kind of messes things up."

McDaniels said you could still hear Russell and Beverley from the bench, but the effect wasn't the same.

"It's not the same because they're not on the court. But they can still give us tips," McDaniels said. "If we're not talking, they tell us to talk. They're still quarterbacking in a way."