Jaden McDaniels’ defense helps Timberwolves lock down Paul George, James Harden

Anthony Edwards’ incredible night in the Timberwolves’ 109-105 victory over the Clippers at Target Center on Sunday night will be sure to receive its flowers, as it rightfully should. The fourth-year Wolves star guard stuffed the stat sheet with 33 points, nine rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals. Twenty of his points came in a third quarter that helped Minnesota pull away from Los Angeles, earning the Wolves their West-leading 28th win of the year.

It’s an under-the-radar performance, though, that should garner the attention of fans and opposing teams alike. Facing a team as star-heavy as the Clippers, with names such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden, who are able to get a bucket at will, the Wolves needed a defender to step up. Coach Chris Finch found his stopper in Jaden McDaniels.

The 23-year-old forward has become one of the top wing defenders in the league over the past few seasons, finishing just two places shy of All-NBA recognition in 2023. McDaniels put his skills to the test Sunday against the Clippers and showed out, helping hold Harden to a 4-of-14 shooting night and George to 5-of-19.

The ability of so many of Los Angeles’ best players to create their own shot posed a unique challenge for McDaniels, but he enjoyed being able to rise to the occasion.

“I like it, just competing with the isolation,” McDaniels said after the game. “They’ve got great scorers on their team, so just trying to make it hard for them. It’s competition, you’ve got to have fun with it.”

McDaniels’ play on the perimeter lightened the load for interior defenders like Rudy Gobert, who had a strong night with four blocked shots to go along with 15 points and 18 rebounds. With capable defenders across the board, the Clippers were held to their second-lowest point total in the last 23 games.

“I thought we did a good job of contesting all those shots,” Finch said. “It started early, using our length to get out there. They’re such a great shooting team, and they don’t need a lot of space, as we saw late, but we were able to stay out of rotation, which is important.”

It wasn’t just the defensive side that McDaniels excelled at, as the young defender also shined through his playmaking ability.

McDaniels scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting but also added a season-high-tying four assists. He was aggressive in driving to the paint in traffic yet willing to pass out to an open man, contributing to a stellar night for Timberwolves ball movement.

Even after his own exceptional night, Edwards made sure to give McDaniels a shout for his play on both ends.

“Man, Jaden does it all,” Edwards said. “He’s like the X-factor for our team. If he’s got it going offensively, it’s hard to beat us. Because defensively, he’s always there. He’s everywhere in the passing lanes, blocking shots, rebounding, blocking his man up. You can’t have nobody like 3 on the team. It’s a great feeling that we’ve got him.”