Jaden McDaniels knew what he was doing.
He smirked, which is notable because he rarely emotes. However, you know McDaniels is about to do something mischievous when he does.
“Everyone’s against us, I’ve kinda been like that forever since high school. I never liked playing at home,” McDaniels said before catching himself. “I mean not like that. Playing on the road just brings that aggression or something.”
McDaniels wants all of it.
Everyone thought the Los Angeles Lakers would turn the Minnesota Timberwolves into mincemeat. Instead, Anthony Edwards and the Wolves tucked LeBron James into bed, tied Luka Dončić up, and killed off Morris Chestnut.
The Wolves had to get past the Golden State Warriors and their championship pedigree in the second round. Losing Stephen Curry hurt Golden State’s chances, but that shouldn’t detract from what the Timberwolves accomplished.
They shot historically poorly in Game 1 and ceded home-court advantage. Then, Minnesota reeled off four straight, including two in San Francisco, to close the series. McDaniels and the Wolves handled a hostile crowd with aplomb.
“It’s more than what I expected,” McDaniels said regarding the Bay Area crowd. “Someone called me McDonald’s down the court, like, just goofy stuff.”
McDonald’s because it sounds like his last name. Still, there’s something ironic about someone calling McDaniels, who’s 6’9”, 185 lbs. and could slip under your door, McDonald’s. He’s probably had coaches who’ve asked him to eat a quarter-pounder with cheese so he could body up opposing forwards.
Still, we shouldn’t be surprised that McDaniels thrives behind enemy lines. He’s deathly quiet, slender enough to slip past defenses, and has a brooding killer instinct.
Drop him in the Bosnian War with Owen Wilson, and he’d uncover genocide. McDaniels could infiltrate North Korea unnoticed, broker peace between Colombia’s government and the guerrilla insurgency, and expose the buyer of weapons-grade uranium in Africa.
McDaniels is a military-grade weapon Chris Finch will deploy deep into the heart of Oklahoma to steal Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams’ thunder. Edwards may be Minnesota’s star. Rudy Gobert anchors the defense, and Julius Randle has become the secondary scorer the Wolves need next to Edwards.
However, McDaniels is Minnesota’s X-factor, its silent protagonist. The Slim Reaper comes for opponents who dare break the Wolves’ defense. He swallowed up Dončić and dragged Jimmy Butler into the great beyond. He’ll be coming for Alexander-Walker.
Moreover, McDaniels has evolved offensively at the most opportune time. He plays an unorthodox game. McDaniels dribbles high, has herky-jerk movements, and shoots at odd angles. He plays like he developed his game at Green Lake Park, not in the AAU circuit.
Still, it works. In the playoffs, McDaniels is only shooting 34.5% from three but is finishing around the rim and is 55.4% from the floor. He can flash his hands for a steal or a block. Some opponents see McDaniels between them and the basket and move the ball or dribble back outside the arc.
The Wolves are the rare six-seed that reaches the Western Conference Finals. As a result, they will play Games 1 and 2 on the road. McDaniels welcomes it. He thrives in front of a hostile crowd and will be a significant factor in whether Minnesota brings home a championship this year.
