What began as a ferocious roar ended in a collective exhale that could have slowed down the 20+ mph winds on the day. Over 19,000 Minnesota Timberwolves fans were able to put their concerns at ease. A narrow 119-118 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 tied the series at 2-2. The game itself was a gut check, considering Minnesota’s nightmarish performance in Game 3. However, Chris Finch’s squad was able to withstand the pressure and take all the punches that Taylor Jenkins’ Grizzlies could throw at them.
The typical Minnesota heroes were out in full display. Karl-Anthony Towns had a resurgent masterclass of a game. In a belated holiday homage, Anthony Edwards pulled a Jesus and rose three minutes after going down with what initially appeared to be a serious knee injury. Finch coached one hell of a game, which was a welcome sight after what could be optically described as a blunder-riddled Game 3.
However, it would appear that the best thing Finch did differently in Game 4 was re-insert Jordan McLaughlin into the rotation. In Game 3, Finch rolled with a 9-man rotation, leaving J-Mac as the odd man out. But that number was upped to 10 for a pivotal Game 4. McLaughlin rewarded Finch for his faith in him. The sub-six-foot point guard out of USC put together one of the most effective and poised games of his career.
In 14 minutes off the bench, McLaughlin posted a ridiculous stat line: 16 points on 5-6 shooting, 4-4 from 3, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals (!!), and BPM of +6. The 4 made threes is a career-high. J-Mac brought composure to a Timberwolves team that saw any semblance of organization in the clutch go right down the drain in Game 3. McLaughlin brought a veteran presence when Finch called upon him and helped this young Wolves team settle down and play their best.
That has not been a new phenomenon in the playoffs. Of 5-man lineups that have played at least 1 minute together in the playoffs, McLaughlin is present in 2 of the top 4 of +/- (+6 for each, per NBA Stats). His effectiveness has been on display throughout this whole season. McLaughlin’s on/off differential for the season is +3.3, which ranks in the 71st percentile (per Cleaning the Glass). J-Mac’s previous career-best in this category was a -3.2 during his rookie season in 2019-20.
McLaughlin’s substantial improvements don’t stop there. The Timberwolves have an effective field goal percentage of 56.2% in the 823 minutes that McLaughlin was on the floor, good for the 92nd percentile league-wide. His maturity and high basketball IQ have allowed him to become one of Finch’s most important and pivotal role players off the bench.
McLaughlin has come a long way from his rookie season three years ago. With a bit of poetic irony, his current moment in the spotlight comes against the team that currently employs Tyus Jones. The Apple Valley native previously held down the third point guard position for the Wolves. At the time of Jones’ restricted free agency, Memphis offered him more money than then-GM Gersson Rosas was able to pay. That left the Timberwolves with McLaughlin, who unfairly became scapegoated by a sect of the fanbase as an “inferior” version of Jones. Fans were “stuck” with him, and Rosas’ decision to let Jones go was seen as yet another product of the decades-deep front office systemic ineptitude.
I, like many others, have been highly critical of McLaughlin in the past. His effectiveness before this season was poor. But with a competent team around him now, McLaughlin has shown that he can have many meaningful contributions for a playoff-caliber team. The Timberwolves are not tied up in this series without J-Mac. Finch deserves credit for realizing this. But not enough can be said about McLaughlin and how he has put this entire team on his shoulders when he has to.
Fortunately, his teammates recognize his importance as well. Edwards went out of his way to praise McLaughlin in his postgame comments Saturday night, stating that “McLaughlin and Josh Okogie are the best teammates I’ve ever played with in my life.” It was a wholehearted moment for Edwards and J-Mac, who shared the podium, and a true moment of leadership for Ant. The heart and soul of the team recognizes McLaughlin’s importance, and it would seem that everyone else on the team does as well.
McLaughlin’s rotation minutes have come at the expense of Jaylen Nowell, an undeniably exciting versatile scorer. However, Nowell does not bring the offensive command and leadership that McLaughlin does, a virtue that Finch surely realizes and values in the playoffs. His decision to go back to J-Mac paid dividends in this game, and it stands to set up his confidence for the rest of what is sure to be a grueling end to this series. McLaughlin is worthy of all praise he’s getting, and he will look to keep his success rolling for Game 5 in Memphis.
