‘They’re all bad defenders’: McDaniels rips specific Nuggets after Game 2

Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr., Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon and the entire Denver Nuggets were called out by Minnesota Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels after his team’s Game 2 119-114 win to even the series at 1-1.

McDaniels lit into the Nuggets defense after the game, calling all of those players specifically bad defenders.

“Go after Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders,” said McDaniels, who had 14 points and three assists. “Tim Hardaway (Jr.), Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team, just go at them.”

So they’re all bad defenders?

“Yeah, they’re all bad defenders,” McDaniels added.

Jaden McDaniels, deadpan delivery, on what worked for the Timberwolves offensively.

Jaden: Go at Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders. Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, their whole team.”

Q: They’re all bad defenders?

Jaden: “Yeah, they’re all bad defenders.” pic.twitter.com/Lbjq7je9Fo

— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) April 21, 2026

McDaniels didn’t stop there.

“They don’t got people that can defend the rim,” he said. “We’re still more athletic than them and just got to be able to finish when we do.”

The numbers back up the criticism more than Nuggets fans would like to admit. Denver posted a 117.4 defensive rating during the regular season, which ranked 21st in the league. In Game 2, the Nuggets allowed 119 points on 47.8% shooting (116.7 defensive rating) — right in line with the subpar standard they set over 82 games. McDaniels’ comments weren’t hot air. They were a scouting report spoken aloud.

McDaniels, the Wolves’ primary point-of-attack defender, was key in pressing the Nuggets. He chased Murray around screens and bodied Jokic in the post when called upon, particularly in the fourth quarter, and it wore Denver down as the game went on.

“He definitely was tired,” coach David Adelman said of Murray, who logged a team-high 42 minutes and 40 seconds. “I thought most of the people out there are really tired. Jamal’s a ton of responsibility.”

Murray acknowledged as much.

“Defense,” Murray said when asked what went wrong. “Shots didn’t fall. So we got to move on and refocus for Thursday.”

Multiple Minnesota teammates praised McDaniels’ effort after the game.

“I think Jaden did a phenomenal job on Jamal Murray,” Anthony Edwards said. “He came out hot in the first quarter, hit maybe three, four threes. Jaden kind of cooled him off and chased him around. I chased him around.”

Against Denver’s defense, McDaniels scored his 14 points on 15 shots. But the Wolves were led by Edwards and Randle, who combined for 54 points and turned the Nuggets’ 19-point first-quarter lead into another Denver collapse.

Now the series is tied heading to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Thursday. And maybe — just maybe — some bulletin board material will do the Nuggets good. They appeared to lose their edge after the big first quarter, and nothing lights a fire in a playoff series like being told, on record, that your entire roster can’t guard anybody — at least that’s the hope.

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