The Minnesota Timberwolves must have been feeling good about themselves following Monday’s 119-115 upset win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs. Following the contest, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels unloaded on Denver’s defense, saying the team is full of “bad defenders.”
The Nuggets were asked about those comments Wednesday, and mostly brushed them aside. Christian Braun gave perhaps the most measured approach, saying he believes McDaniels’ comments were all about stoking the rivalry between the two teams.
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When asked whether those comments would light a fire under the Nuggets, Braun said a team shouldn’t be in a spot where it needs to light a fire during the postseason.
Cam Johnson, one of the players McDaniels called out by name, said there’s been a lot of trash talk from Minnesota. He encouraged them to get it off their chests.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman took a different track, implying McDaniels was saying those things to help with his “podcast” or increase his “social media” views.
Adelman then asked what the Nuggets’ defensive rating was in the series so far before moving on to the next question.
McDaniels’ comments came hours after Monday’s game. When asked what worked for the Timberwolves on offense, McDaniels decided to call out the Nuggets’ defense, saying “they’re all bad defenders.”
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He specifically called out players like Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson and Aaron Gordon before just saying “their whole team” is full of bad defenders.
Perhaps the best response to McDaniels’ comments came early Tuesday morning. When informed that he was on McDaniels’ list of bad defenders, Gordon responded by saying, “Brother, I don’t care.”
Monday’s win evened the series, making it 1-1 heading into Game 3. The two teams are scheduled to play again Thursday. While the Nuggets tried to downplay their response to McDaniels’ comments, the team could come out with a little more energy and emotion in Game 3.
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