Minnesota Timberwolves star Jaden McDaniels revealed some secrets about going against Victor Wembanyama
Going against Victor Wembanyama is arguably the most daunting task an NBA player could have in today's game. However, that task didn't scare the Minnesota Timberwolves, and certainly not Jaden McDaniels on Monday.
No one expected the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves without Ayo Dosunmu and Donte DiVincenzo to stand a chance against the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs, but they did it again. Even if the Timberwolves were fully healthy, they'd still be the underdogs against Wembanyama's Spurs.
Yet somehow, someway, the Minnesota Timberwolves just don't know the definition of can't. It's a mindset that clearly trickles through the entire team, but also stems from the confidence of Jaden McDaniels.
Jaden McDaniels on Playing Against Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama finished with a staggering 12 blocks against the Timberwolves on Monday night, but that didn't stop Jaden McDaniels from putting up 16 points on 50% shooting.
"You just gotta act like he's not there," McDaniels said about facing Wembanyama. "He's going to get blocks, like, he's the tallest person in the world. He's going to get blocks. Just keep consistently attacking him. Sometimes he might not be there, sometimes he might catch you. Just keep going."
If there's one thing that the Minnesota Timberwolves have done exceptionally well throughout the playoffs, it's being relentless. Even if it's a lesser-known player like Terrence Shannon Jr., they play with a certain level of belief and aggression.
"Finding pass, pass, combinations, attacking the corner," McDaniels added. "And then just being relentless. Like no matter what, he's going to block, he had 12 blocks. He probably blocked all of us one time. You just gotta keep going at him."
Do the Minnesota Timberwolves Have a Chance?
If game one showed anything, it's that the Minnesota Timberwolves actually have a chance against the San Antonio Spurs. For as good as the 62-win Spurs are, it's still Wembanyama's first career playoff game.
If there's one way the Timberwolves can take advantage of this, it's by punching the Spurs in the mouth early - exactly what they did. The Timberwolves have to continue figuring out how to be the most physical team that plays harder and gets the Spurs on tilt.
However, if the Spurs get time to regroup and start regaining confidence, the battle at hand will be much more difficult for the shorthanded Timberwolves.
What's truly amazing is that for the last three seasons, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been doubted as lower seeds but found ways to win playoff series as underdogs. No one expected them to defeat the Denver Nuggets, yet here they are, silencing doubters yet again.