Following a Game 2 loss, the Denver Nuggets were called out by Minnesota Timberwolves standout Jaden McDaniels.
After the game, McDaniels dropped a statement that went viral on social media the following morning.
“Go at Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders. Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, their whole team,” McDaniels said in response to a question about the Timberwolves’ offensive game plan. “They’re all bad defenders.”
The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Eddie Johnson, reacted to the clip on social media. To him, McDaniels looked like he was doing a scene from the NBA in the 80s.
The Denver Nuggets Get Bulletin Board Material
via Eddie Johnson on X: The Hoodie , eyes and slow vocal dismantling of the entire Nuggets team was straight 80’s gangsterism. That might be the craziest bulletin board material I have ever heard! Wow.
Well, if that doesn’t motivate the Nuggets to play better defensively, nothing will.
The Nuggets had a shot to make it a 2-0 series, but the Timberwolves were too much in the end. Minnesota shot 48.0% from the field as a team and knocked down 41.0% of their threes.
Anthony Edwards checked in for 40 minutes and scored 30 points. The superstar guard logged a double-double with 10 rebounds.
The veteran forward Julius Randle clocked in for 36 minutes and produced 24 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 119-114. With that victory, the series is even 1-1 as both teams head to Minnesota for the next two games.
The Nuggets Are Losing Steam
Suddenly, the Timberwolves are gaining a lot of confidence in this series from outsiders. When the Timberwolves dropped Game 1, they didn’t sweat it.
Jaden McDaniels was confident after that loss, claiming that if the Timberwolves continued to play that way defensively, they could win the series. The aggressive defense didn’t stop in Game 2. But the offense went in the right direction, leading to a winning result.
While Denver has found itself gaining more critics after the loss, the Nuggets have an opportunity to shift the narratives right back in their favor on Thursday, April 23, for Game 3.