The Minnesota Timberwolves certainly don't lack talent, but for one game of the year they were missing one of their most vital pieces. 

Jaden McDaniels has asserted himself as one of the biggest pieces of the Timberwolves roster. He stands out as the team's best defender on the outside, and along with Rudy Gobert he forms Minnesota's best one-two punch when it comes to shutting down opposing offenses. 

That's why any absence McDaniels suffers affects the Timberwolves significantly. Thankfully for Minnesota, they haven't had to contend with many absences from McDaniels. Prior to sitting out due to a sprained left wrist on Nov. 19, McDaniels had played in 188 straight games. 

An End to a Streak

McDaniels only missed one game, and seemingly hasn't missed a step since that game, which ended in a 120-109 win for Minnesota. Despite McDaniel's return, he revealed in an interview during a Timberwolves practice on Nov. 28 that he's still felt some lingering pain in his wrist, though he won't let that stop him from playing for his team.

"Yeah, I mean, it hurt a little bit, but it's not as bad as when I missed that game. I couldn't dribble or nothing. But, if I can dribble Ima play," McDaniels said (via Timberwolves).

On top of his defensive contributions, McDaniels has emerged as standout offensive threat. In 17 games this season, McDaniels in averaging 16.1 points per game while collecting 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

The Timberwolves are a better team when McDaniels is on the court, and his competitive fire ensures that he stays an active participant when he's able to play, As evidenced by his previous games-played streak, McDaniels takes missing games personally.

McDaniels Does Whatever He Can to Stay on the Court

When he was asked if it hurt to miss the one game he did because of his injury, he responded, "It hurt. I want to play every game, but, it happens."

The Timberwolves are 10-8 on the season and are coming off of a three-game losing streak. To correct course this season, they'll need all the help they can get. While Anthony Edwards is turning in an All-Star effort and players like Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert play vital roles on the team, McDaniels is another piece of the machine that will be crucial to ensuring the team's success.

Having a competitor like McDaniels is an asset to any team, and barring any future complications from injury, they can count on him to be a consistent presence on both sides of the court.