The Minnesota Timberwolves finally joined the board of directors at the Western Conference Finals.
After two brutal losses to open the series, the Minnesota Timber Wolves rose on this occasion, retaliating against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a dominant 143-101 victory in Game 3.
Limiting OKC to the worst game of the entire season, Anthony Edwards dropped a big statement as the Minnesota Superstar scored 30 points and added nine rebounds and six assists.
Meanwhile, Julius Randle bounced off his nightmare game 2 and finished with a strong 24-point performance.
One key to the Timberwolves turnaround was a defensive masterclass, limiting lightning to just 101 points on the inefficient 40.7% field goal line (31.8%).
For Anthony Edwards, it was simply all the credibility of Jaden McDaniels, and he showed why he made the wrong decision not to vote for him on all defensive teams this season.
“It starts with Jaden McDaniels,” Edwards said of Minnesota’s elite game 3 defense after the game.
“He didn’t make all the defensive teams, it’s crazy and it’s with the people who vote.
“But tonight he again showed why he should be in it. We’re following his lead on defense.
“If he puts pressure on the ball and comes out, we all follow that. We’ll go when he goes to the defensive side.”
After reaching the All-Defensive Second Team last year, McDaniels was shorter this time, ranking 16th in the overall poll.
The Snub came despite stolen a career-high 1.3 steel with an average of 0.9 blocks. He also fully embraced the role of being a defensive stubborn guy who played throughout Minnesota’s 82-game season and contributed to the team’s top six defensive league.
Beyond the 10-point display in Game 3, he helped reduce Shy Gilgauss Alexander from 4-13 shots to just 14 points.
He also did not fall into the MVP’s polarized free throw tactics. The Thunder superstar only traveled four times to the line after winning an astounding 29 in the first two games of the series.
If omitted from all NBA defensive teams, it only serves as fuel to help McDaniels defeat the lightning and advance to the NBA Finals.