The Minnesota Timberwolves were coming off consecutive losses to the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers, eyeing an opportunity to get back on track against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Backed by a 30-point game from Julius Randle, they were able to hold off a 30-point game from Miles Bridges and secure a 122-105 win over the Hornets.

With Anthony Edwards still sidelined, the team had to look to the other players on their roster to step up, even if they aren't usually scorers in their role. Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid both added 18 points, while Jaden McDaniels had an efficient 14 points as he's been great to start the year. Head coach Chris Finch addressed his star defender's recent offensive production.

Chris Finch's Comments On McDaniels' Offensive Output

Rob Longo (@Rob_Longo) on X Minnesota coach Chris Finch with some kind words about the Hornets ahead of tonight’s game.

"It's been great, I mean, these are the steps that we've seen coming and we certainly need it," Finch said. "It's not just that his production is up; it's his efficiency, too. He's shooting extremely well, getting to the line, finishing around the hoop, three pointers going in, so it's been fun to watch and certainly timely."

Prior to Saturday's contest, McDaniels had 30 points in the loss to the Lakers and 25 points in the loss to the Nuggets. Even though those games were losses, McDaniels was efficient, shooting over 55% from the field in each of his last three games. While he may be known as a defender, fans have seen him flash offensive brilliance from time to time.

McDaniels' Past Offensive Explosions

Going back to the 2025 postseason, McDaniels shone when given the opportunity to be a priority scoring option for Minnesota. Against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, he posted averages of 17.4 points on 57.4% shooting from the field, factoring in a game where he played just 18 minutes and shot four times.

Even looking at the 2024 postseason, he had a monster 25-point game against the Phoenix Suns in their four-game series sweep, as well as three more 20+ point games during that playoff run before losing to the Dallas Mavericks in five games.

At 6-foot-9 and a former All-Defensive selection, there's still more to McDaniels' game as he's just 25 years old. If Chris Finch can continue to tap into McDaniels' game and grow him into a potential second option down the line for Minnesota, he could be a massive piece for this team's future and eventual title hopes.