Despite the Timberwolves playing without injured stars, McDaniels stepped up on both ends of the floor.
He recorded a career-high 32 points and 10 rebounds while playing lockdown defense on Denver’s Jamal Murray.
After a series filled with tension, McDaniels reflected on the hard-fought win stating, “I’m just happy it’s over, happy we were able to come out on top.”
The rivalry grew heated early in the series when McDaniels famously criticized Denver’s defense telling reporters to “go at Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders, they’re all bad defenders.”
After clinching the series, he stood by his competitive approach saying, “Stuff was said. I’m just happy we were all able to prove our point, get the win and move one to the next round.”
Rudy Gobert, who added 13 rebounds praised the team’s resilience noting, “This is about will. It’s about heart and that’s how we were able to overcome this great challenge.”
The Timberwolves now advance to face the San Antonio Spurs in the second round.
