Jaden McDaniels in Rare Statistical Air With Dominant Two-Way Outing

Everything that makes Jaden McDaniels so essential to the Timberwolves' success was on full display on Tuesday night in Portland.

Now in his sixth season, McDaniels put together quite possibly the finest performance of his NBA career in Minnesota's 124-121 victory over the Trail Blazers. He was dominant on both ends of the floor and willed the Wolves to a win on a night where Julius Randle was quiet and Anthony Edwards' shot abandoned him in the second half.

McDaniels scored 11 points and recorded four blocked shots in the first quarter alone. He finished the night with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 steals, and 2 assists. He made 12 of his 16 shot attempts, including five of the six threes he took, and got to 29 points without a single free throw. It was a two-way masterclass from one of the league's best "3 and D" wings.

By stuffing the stat sheet the way he did, McDaniels joined a tiny club in NBA history. Since at least 1983-84, only two players had ever recorded a game with at least 25 points, five made threes, five blocks, and three steals. Kawhi Leonard did it in the first round of the 2016 playoffs. Brook Lopez became the first player to reach those marks in the regular season in 2024, although he needed overtime to get there. McDaniels is now the third member of that club.

"I feel like you know we're playing the right way if he's having a game like that," Anthony Edwards said. "Because he's always open for the catch-and-shoot or playing off the catch, however he wants to attack it. I feel like the ball was finding him tonight."

Jaden McDaniels | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

McDaniels punctuated a strong fourth quarter from the Wolves with his signature self-alley oop off the bounce. He finished one point off of his career-high of 30, but according to Basketball Reference's game score metric, this was the best game he's ever played. It's fitting that it came in Portland, the NBA city — at least for now — that's closest to his hometown of Federal Way, WA.

Obviously, no one in Timberwolves history had ever put together a game quite like this one. Even when removing three-pointers from the equation, this was just the fifth time a Minnesota player had 25 points, 5 blocks, and 3 steals in a game. Kevin Garnett did it three times in his 2003-04 MVP season, including twice in the Western Conference semifinals against the Kings. Karl-Anthony Towns also did it once in December 2018.

McDaniels knocked down open threes. He got to the rim on offense and protected the rim on defense. He bothered Blazers ball handlers with his length on the perimeter. And he even mixed in a midrange one-legged Dirk fadeaway for good measure.

JADEN MCDANIELS.
TWO-WAY MASTERCLASS.

29 points
12-16 shooting
5-6 from deep
3 steals
5 blocks

He joins KG and KAT as the only @Timberwolves with 27p, 3s and 5b in a game! pic.twitter.com/UG2pP5ZR5s
— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2026

It's worth remembering that McDaniels is still just 25 years old. He's in the midst of a career year offensively, averaging 15.2 points while shooting 45.2 percent from three-point range. There have been some ups and downs throughout the season, but when McDaniels is playing like this, the Wolves are awfully difficult to beat. At least to some extent, he's the X-factor who holds the key to unlocking Minnesota's ceiling.