Denver, CO, April 21, 2026 — After helping the Minnesota Timberwolves erase a 19-point hole and beat the Denver Nuggets 119-114 in Game 2, forward Jaden McDaniels bluntly described Denver’s defense.
“We go at Jokic, go at Jamal, all the bad defenders … their whole team,” McDaniels told reporters postgame. When asked to confirm that he considered every Nugget a poor defender, he replied, “Yeah, they’re all bad defenders.”
The victory evened the first-round series at 1-1 and shifted home-court advantage to Minnesota.
Key numbers
Anthony Edwards paced the Timberwolves with 30 points, attacking the rim relentlessly after a quieter Game 1. Julius Randle added 24 points and converted critical free throws in the closing seconds.
Denver received 30 points from Jamal Murray, who buried a long buzzer-beater to end the first half, and 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists from Nikola Jokic. The duo combined to shoot just 2-for-12 in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets went cold late.
Turning point
Head coach Chris Finch credited Edwards’s “force” and constant downhill pressure for swinging momentum after Minnesota fell behind early. A dominant second quarter wiped out Denver’s fast start, setting up a back-and-forth finish the Timberwolves controlled down the stretch.
The series moves to Minneapolis for Games 3 and 4, where Minnesota will try to capitalize on its newly earned edge.
Source: Hoops Wire
