McDaniels talked about being aggressive after the team's thrilling overtime victory in New Orleans.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were expected to handle the New Orleans Pelicans easily on Tuesday night, but they needed overtime to escape with a 149-142 victory.
Anthony Edwards had a huge night, scoring 44 points, but it was Jaden McDaniels who played a key role in Minnesota's win with his scoring and defensive work in the zone.
Minnesota now sits at 14-8 on the season, while New Orleans dropped to 3-20, which is the worst record in the NBA.
McDaniels Talks About Staying Aggressive
When asked about his approach this season, McDaniels kept it simple and talked about staying out of his own head when it comes to offense.
"Just being aggressive and really not thinking," McDaniels said. "Going and hooping, for real."
That mindset has been working well for the 25-year-old forward, and it showed against New Orleans.
McDaniels finished with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, along with four rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 33 minutes of action.
A Breakout Season for McDaniels
McDaniels has taken his game to another level this year after head coach Chris Finch made it clear during training camp that the team wanted him more involved on offense.
"I see it's possible," McDaniels said earlier in the season about taking on a bigger scoring role. "Just gotta be aggressive during the games and make the most of my opportunities when I do touch the ball. I know, like Ant and Julius, whoever I'm on the court with, we all want to see each other succeed."
Through 21 games, McDaniels is averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 52.8 percent from the field.
His three-point shooting has been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season, as he has been among the league leaders in three-point percentage for most of the year.
McDaniels' Defense Anchors the Zone
While his offense has been great, McDaniels also played a big part defensively in the overtime win. Coach Finch has relied on a zone defense at key moments this season, and McDaniels sits right in the middle of it.
"Jaden's versatility has been key for us for a long time," Finch said about his forward's role in the zone. "We tend to be more active in the zone sometimes than we are in man-to-man. It's kind of crazy, but it's kind of part of our personality at the moment."
The Timberwolves went on to beat the Pelicans again on Thursday, 125-116, with McDaniels scoring 14 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota has now won four straight games and continues to climb the Western Conference standings heading into a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.