The Minnesota Timberwolves might not be a contender for the NBA championship, however they don’t appear to be missing in confidence.

Guard Anthony Edwards, who was named to his first All-Star staff this season, is averaging 24.7 factors per recreation whereas taking pictures 46.1 % total and 37.1 % from 3-point vary, and final offseason he stated he would quickly be within the dialog as arguably the most effective participant within the recreation.

As well as, Jaden McDaniels, one in every of their beginning forwards, thinks he’s the most effective defender in the whole league.

Jaden McDaniels makes his declare as the most effective defender within the NBA 🔒 pic.twitter.com/OR0SNp5vLd

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 23, 2023

McDaniels, who stands 6-foot-9 however is listed at simply 185 kilos, is averaging 12.3 factors, 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocked pictures per recreation whereas taking pictures 51.9 % from the sector and 39.5 % from 3-point vary.

He’s actually one of many NBA’s rising defensive aces, and he’s beginning to take some actual delight in that facet of basketball.

McDaniels isn’t the one one who thinks extremely of his capacity to cease opponents.

“I believe we have now the most effective perimeter defender within the NBA,” veteran Austin Rivers stated just lately. “His capacity to protect not solely fast guards, however huge guards, I don’t assume there’s anybody that may do it higher than him.”

Even when McDaniels is certainly the most effective defender within the recreation, his staff wants just a little extra on that finish of the ground.

Minnesota ranks thirteenth in defensive ranking, and it’s clinging to its playoff hopes, because it at the moment sits in seventh place within the Western Convention, which suggests if the season ended at the moment, it must take part within the play-in event.

However it acquired an enormous increase on Wednesday when star heart Karl-Anthony Cities returned after being out since late November with a calf pressure, and his mere presence might assist the staff go on a little bit of a surge to finish the schedule.

NEXT: 
NBA World Reacts To As we speak’s Karl-Anthony Cities Information