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Inside The Huskies

Ex-Husky McDaniels Key to Timberwolves' Playoff Hopes

The former UW forward kept Minnesota alive in the NBA postseason.
Dan Raley|
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) backs in on ex-Husky Jaden McDaniels.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) backs in on ex-Husky Jaden McDaniels. | Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Just when the Minnesota Timberwolves were on the verge of elimination in the NBA playoffs, Jaden McDaniels stepped up and wouldn't let it happen.

This past Thursday, the former University of Washington forward scored 21 points and was his usual shot-blocking self to spark his team to a resounding 115-70 victory over the Denver Nuggets, force Game 7 in their postseason series and continue to build a reputation.

"This guy right here, he led us," Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards said in a postgame TV interview with McDaniels standing beside him. "Every guy on our team is a leader and he was a leader tonight. He stepped up big time."

The 6-foot-9 McDaniels, a third-year NBA veteran after playing for the Huskies as a freshman in 2020-21, had been somewhat of a non-factor in the five previous games against Denver. He scored 9, 11, 10, 5 and 0. He shot a combined 14 for 37 from floor and 2 for 12 from 3-point range.

In Game 6 against the Nuggets, however, he showed up a new man, especially offensively, dropping in 8 of 10 shots, including 3 of 5 3-pointers. On defense, he came up with a pair of blocks, giving him nine in the series.

Game 7 for the Timberwolves and Nuggets is scheduled for Sunday with a 5 p.m. PT tipoff in Denver.

A repeat performance of Thursday's game by McDaniels could be enough to send Minnesota into the Western Conference finals against Dallas, a series that begins next Wednesday.

"It was just not wanting to go home," McDaniels said. "My teammates have confidence in me."

For the latest UW basketball and football news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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