Chris Finch has been pushing Jaden McDaniels and he's delivering on big stage

McDaniels turned in a 'special performance' in Tuesday's Game 2 victory.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) makes a basket against the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center in Minneapolis on April 23, 2024. / Brad Rempel / USA TODAY Sports

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch quipped that he’s been harping on Jaden McDaniels to crash the offensive glass for rebounds for 250 games. Well, better late than never, right? 

After grabbing six boards — two offensive, four defensive — in a 120-95 blowout win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series on Saturday, McDaniels followed up with eight rebounds — three offensive, five defensive — in a 105-93 win in Game 2.

What better time to turn it on than the playoffs? 

Oh, and McDaniels had a game-high 25 points in the Game 2 victory. Finch said postgame that McDaniels turned in a performance that was probably the best he’s ever seen him play. 

“His activity has been another level so far in these two games, and I think a lot of it just starts from just being a big presence on the glass,” Finch said. “And just getting there, playing with a lot of force, you know, finishing strong around the basket, getting confident in his shot and the job he’s doing on the other end of the floor, fighting through every single screen, getting hit a bunch. Thought he had a special performance (Tuesday), really special.” 

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McDaniels made one key play after another. Defensively he helped limit Kevin Durant to 18 points. The Suns' Big 3 in all combined for 52 points. Offensively he made back-to-back layups that capped an 11-0 Timberwolves run in the fourth quarter that essentially put the game away with a 93-76 lead. 

The Suns didn’t quite wave the white flag there, but McDaniels would later hit a 3-pointer with 4 minutes, 41 seconds remaining that gave the Wolves a 19-point lead. Call that a game. 

And where did that rhythm all start? By crashing the glass.

“I mean, it’s the playoffs, I mean, we got to win, so just doing anything to win, and (Finch) be on me the whole regular season about offensive rebounding and see tonight, he’s right,” McDaniels said. “He knows what he’s talking about, so I’m just gonna continue to listen to him.” 

That’s worked so far. The Timberwolves have a 2-0 series lead with the series set to shift to Phoenix Friday for a 9:30 p.m. CT tipoff.