The question is of course anachronistic today. But last year, the Wolves were able to wonder what their first round of playoffs against the Nuggets would have looked like if they had been able to rely on two additional weapons: Jaden McDaniels And Naz Reid.
The first had burned himself out for the final stages by breaking his hand after hitting a wall; the second broke his wrist at the end of the season. A year later, the two men are in good shape and greatly participated in the elimination of their past tormentors, the Nuggets.
In Game 7 in Denver, Jaden McDaniels got closer to his career record (25), posted in the previous round against the Suns, with his 23 points. During the previous Game 6, already eliminatory for his team, the Wolves winger responded with his 21 points. It was the first time in his career that he scored 20 points or more in two games in a row.
Proof of the development of this young player who is progressing in his offensive positioning and his interval shots. “ Jaden McDaniels. Jaden McDaniels is the MVP of the last two series. Once again he did it again. Jaden McDaniels », Anthony Edwards keeps repeating.
“ We have so many versatile players who can score 20 points in any game. Next time it might be Naz, Nickeil (Alexander-Walker), K.A.T. (Karl-Anthony Towns) or anyone else. We just have to do everything we can to win, even if it's not our game », says the 23-year-old player, initially assigned to defensive tasks.
Less happy in attack, Naz Reid contributes elsewhere
In this clash with the reigning champions, we saw him spend a lot of time defending on Jamal Murray, then more on Michael Porter Jr. as the series progressed and Anthony Edwards took care of the Canadian. Michael Porter who did not score more than eight points from Games 4 to 7.
Jaden McDaniels, who averages more than 12 points in these playoffs, is not the only one to be congratulated by his leaders. Naz Reid's performances don't go unnoticed either. In this same Game 7, the replacement scored 8 of his 11 points in the last quarter and allowed himself to counter Nikola Jokic twice.
Naz Reid sees in his actions “ effort, effort, effort. As a 6th man, I just try to put in the effort, play to win the game, whether it's grabbing rebounds, making steals, blocking shots, scoring, whatever. My offensive game isn't at playoff level, but I'm trying to find other ways to stay in the game. »
The best substitute in the league has indeed struggled more offensively in recent weeks. He has lost three points on average (from 13 to 10) since the start of the playoffs, and especially almost 10 points of success behind the arc (41% to 32%). During Game 7, before his last quarter, we saw him frustrated on the bench.
“ Naz came into play, he defended Jokic well, he took a few offensive rebounds, made a big shot, put in a big dunk, intercepted a few balls. He played hard. We tell him all the time: 'Don't give up, don't give up'. He didn't give up tonight and it showed, that's for sure », greets Karl-Anthony Towns.
With their two additional soldiers, the Wolves are armed.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Anthony Edwards | 79 | 35.1 | 46.1 | 35.7 | 83.6 | 0.7 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 25.9 |
| Karl Anthony Towns | 62 | 32.7 | 50.4 | 41.6 | 87.3 | 1.5 | 6.8 | 8.3 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 21.8 |
| Rudy Gobert | 76 | 34.1 | 66.1 | 0.0 | 63.8 | 3.8 | 9.2 | 12.9 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 14.0 |
| Naz Reid | 81 | 24.2 | 47.7 | 41.4 | 73.6 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 13.5 |
| Mike Conley | 76 | 28.9 | 45.7 | 44.2 | 91.1 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 5.9 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 11.4 |
| Jaden Mcdaniels | 72 | 29.2 | 48.9 | 33.7 | 72.2 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 10.5 |
| Nickeil Alexander-walker | 82 | 23.4 | 43.9 | 39.1 | 80.0 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 8.0 |
| Kyle Anderson | 79 | 22.6 | 46.0 | 22.9 | 70.8 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 6.4 |
| Monte Morris | 27 | 15.1 | 41.7 | 42.4 | 70.6 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 5.1 |
| Shake Milton | 38 | 12.9 | 40.0 | 26.4 | 81.8 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 4.7 |
| Troy Brown, Jr. | 37 | 11.1 | 44.1 | 36.9 | 86.4 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 4.2 |
| Luka Garza | 25 | 4.9 | 48.0 | 28.1 | 72.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| Tj Warren | 11 | 11.3 | 43.9 | 15.4 | 75.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 3.7 |
| Jordan McLaughlin | 56 | 11.2 | 48.3 | 47.2 | 72.2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 3.5 |
| Daishen Nix | 15 | 3.3 | 37.5 | 35.3 | 50.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 |
| Leonard Miller | 17 | 3.1 | 65.0 | 40.0 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| Josh Minott | 32 | 2.9 | 47.2 | 40.0 | 85.7 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.6 |
| Wendell Moore, Jr. | 25 | 3.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| Justin Jackson | 2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
