Author: Monojit Mandal
Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered an injury to his right hand during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, putting his season in jeopardy. The 21-year-old punched the wall on his way to the dressing room after being substituted in the first half.
The Timberwolves won the game 113-108, but at a high cost, as McDaniels sat out the rest of the game due to injury. The player suffered fractures to the third and fourth metacarpals, which are the large bones between the fingers and the wrist, according to the team.
McDaniels has been an important player for the Timberwolves this season, especially on defense, and the organization has launched an effort to name him to the NBA All-DefensiveFirst Team. But as his injury will keep him out, the club will have to find a way to do without him.
This setback comes at a critical time for the Timberwolves, who are preparing for a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. The winner of this game will advance to the playoffs, but Minnesota will have to do it without McDaniels and forward Rudy Gobert, who will not travel with the club after knocking down teammate Kyle Anderson during Sunday’s game.
The Timberwolves have not yet specified a timetable for McDaniels’ return, but he will certainly miss the rest of the season if Minnesota makes the playoffs. The team will be forced to rely on other players to fill the void created by his absence.
This is a major setback for the Timberwolves, who were trying to have a good post-season. However, injuries are part of the game, and the team must find a way to overcome this if they want to extend their season beyond Tuesday’s game against the Lakers.
McDaniels’ absence is significant for the Timberwolves, as he has been one of their most consistent players this season. His defensive skills were crucial to the team’s success.