Jaden McDaniels Had Words For Nuggets Crowd After Being ‘Hated' in Game 5
After winning both home games to take a 3–1 series lead, the Minnesota Timberwolves returned to Denver on Monday, where Jaden McDaniels was met with a hostile crowd at Ball Arena.
McDaniels had spent much of the series trying to get under the skin of Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, and it had largely worked. After Minnesota evened the series at 1–1, McDaniels went as far as calling the Nuggets a team of "bad defenders."
Tensions escalated further in Game 4, when McDaniels had a physical confrontation with Jokic after breaking an unwritten rule by scoring late in a conceded situation. While neither player was suspended, both were fined by the NBA.
It initially seemed like McDaniels' tactics were paying off as the Timberwolves took a 3–1 lead. However, it backfired in Game 5, as the Timberwolves fell 125–113, with chants of "McDaniels sucks" echoing throughout the night. Despite the hostile environment, McDaniels remained defiant.
"I love this environment," he said in a post-game press conference. "Everyone hating me, all the hate is coming towards me. I love it. I don't care I feed into it. We just end up losing today but we're gonna win the next one".
Although McDaniels insisted the crowd "can't get in my head," his performance suggested otherwise. He finished with just 13 points, three rebounds, and four turnovers as Minnesota struggled to match Denver's pace and ball movement.
Here is some Jaden McDaniels postgame sound.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 28, 2026
On the crowd: "They can't get in my head."
On the dust-ups: "Nothing dirty."
On Game 6: "We just got to get the job done next game and then there's no more talking." pic.twitter.com/ybwW5m4Cyy
The Nuggets seized control early, building a lead of as many as 27 points. Jokic led the way with a triple-double, recording 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists, along with two blocks. Jamal Murray added 24 points, seven assists, and four steals, while Spencer Jones and Cameron Johnson were the only other Nuggets to score in double figures.
Minnesota struggled with ball security, committing 25 turnovers that Denver converted into 35 points, while shooting an efficient 57% from the field.
Along with McDaniels' four turnovers, Julius Randle had five, though he also posted 27 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Naz Reid, Terrence Shannon Jr., Bones Hyland, and Ayo Dosunmu all scored in double figures, but an off night from Rudy Gobert proved costly.
In 29 minutes, Gobert managed just three points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals, finishing with a plus-minus of -25.
Minnesota now trails 3–2 in the series. With momentum shifting to Denver, the Timberwolves will look to respond in Game 6 at home on Wednesday and avoid a decisive Game 7.
Related: Nikola Jokic Reveals Real Reason for Jaden McDaniels Confrontation in Game 4
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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:30 AM.