The Minnesota Timberwolves got back into the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder following their Game 3 win in the Western Conference Finals. Helping to set the tone for the Timberwolves’ win, especially on the defensive end was Jaden McDaniels. McDaniels was such a factor on defense that Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards called out the voters for the All-Defensive teams, as per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Following the Timberwolves’ Game 3 win, Anthony Edwards spoke about how the turnaround started on the offensive end, and how Jaden McDaniels was the catalyst for that.
“It starts with Jaden McDaniels,” Edwards said. “He didn’t make an All-Defensive Team, which is terrible for the people who get a vote. He showed them again tonight why he should be on the defensive team.”
The All-Defensive First and Second Teams were selected by a panel of 100 media members. McDaniels did not appear on either team. He did receive ten second place votes though while Timberwolves teammate Edwards received three second place votes.
Throughout the Timberwolves’ first three games of the Western Conference Finals, McDaniels has been the primary defender on Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2024-25 MVP. In Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander was held to only 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field.
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This isn’t the first time that McDaniels has been a glaring omission from the All-Defensive team voting. During the 2022-23 season, Timberwolves fans took to social media to express their bewilderment at McDaniels not being selected for either team. He was selected to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2023-24.
This season, McDaniels had the second-best defensive rating on the Timberwolves, behind only Rudy Gobert, as per StatMuse.
He appeared in all 82 games this season, a first in his career, at a little over 31 minutes per game. During the Timberwolves’ playoff run, he’s been averaging 14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 53.9 percent shooting from the field, 38.6 percent shooting from the three-point line and 88.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
With the Wolves looking to even the series up in Game 4, look for McDaniels to continue to be the top defensive option on Gilgeous-Alexander.