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Jaden McDaniels delivered one of the most direct postgame assessments of the playoffs after the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied past the Denver Nuggets 119-114 in Game 2 on Monday night.
Minnesota erased a 19-point first-quarter deficit and evened the first-round series at 1-1 behind aggressive shot selection and consistent paint pressure.
McDaniels pointed to that shift in approach as the deciding factor. “A lot more this game and that’s what gave us the win,” he said.
The forward said there was no panic despite the early hole against a team that had won 13 straight games entering the night. “To be honest, I didn’t even know it was down 19,” McDaniels said. “We were just in the game and we got a couple stops.”
He credited energy from the bench and crowd as Minnesota stabilized the game. “The fans were giving us energy, coaches giving us energy and we were all just ready to play and that’s how we came out,” he said.
The defensive plan also shifted when foul trouble hit, especially with Rudy Gobert off the floor. “We got to take care of the paint, not let people get to the paint as easy,” McDaniels said. “Just turn your guy a couple times, pick up full court, whatever you can do to slow them down.”
Offensively, McDaniels described a clear target against Denver’s defensive structure. “Go out for Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders. Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team,” he said. “Just go at them. They are all bad defenders.”
The Timberwolves translated that mindset into consistent rim pressure, finishing with a 20-3 advantage in second-chance points and repeatedly attacking mismatches.
McDaniels doubled down on the approach when asked about attacking the interior. “They don’t have people that can defend the rim and if he is there, we are still more athletic than them and we just got to be able to finish when we do,” he said.
Minnesota’s ability to break the paint created efficient offense, particularly in the second half when the game slowed into half-court possessions.
“There is discipline,” McDaniels said. “You got to know when to attack and when the right moments and if it’s your time to shoot it or pass it.”
He emphasized the core principle behind the comeback. “If you just break the paint, you are going to have a shot or someone else is going to be open for it,” he said.
The Timberwolves placed five players in double figures, led by Anthony Edwards with 30 points and Julius Randle adding 24.
Denver’s stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray combined for just four points in the fourth quarter, going 2-for-12 as Minnesota closed the game.
Game 3 shifts to Minneapolis on Thursday, where the Timberwolves will look to build on their paint-first approach and defensive adjustments.
