Jaden McDaniels labels Denver Nuggets ‘bad defenders’ after Game 2 win
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels labelled the entire Denver Nuggets roster “bad defenders” following a 119-114 comeback victory in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Monday.
The visitors overcame a 19-point deficit in Colorado to tie the series at one win apiece.
However, the post-match focus quickly shifted to the Minnesota forward’s blunt assessment of his opponents.
‘They don’t have people that can defend the rim’
When asked about the team’s offensive strategy, the energetic forward did not hold back.
“Go after Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders,” McDaniels stated.
“Tim Hardaway Jr, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team, just go at them.”
When pressed on whether he genuinely believed the opposition were all poor at defending, his response was emphatic.
“Yeah, they’re all bad defenders,” he added.
Edwards powers Timberwolves despite injury
Anthony Edwards spearheaded the remarkable Minnesota fightback despite playing on a sore knee.
The dynamic shooting guard registered 30 points and secured 10 rebounds to stun the home crowd.
McDaniels, who contributed 14 points and three assists, believes his side holds a clear physical advantage.
“They don’t got people that can defend the rim,” he said.
“We’re still more athletic than them and just got to be able to finish when we do.”
Nuggets duo falter in final quarter
Denver’s star pairing of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray dominated statistically but struggled when it mattered most.
The Serbian centre grabbed 15 defensive rebounds alongside his 24 points, while Murray matched Edwards with a 30-point haul.
Crucially, the All-Star duo managed a combined two successful shots from 12 attempts during the fourth quarter.
With the game on the line in the closing seconds, Murray opted for a contested two-point attempt rather than a game-tying three-pointer.
The point guard missed the crucial effort, allowing Minnesota to seal the vital away victory.
“I was happy he took the two points,” Edwards noted regarding the final sequence.
“We all could have played better. It’s not all on one person, that’s just the way the game goes sometimes,” Murray admitted.
The tightly poised series now moves to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Thursday evening.
