The Timberwolves got an important win on Sunday, but it came at a steep cost.
Forward Jaden McDaniels suffered an injury to his right hand in the first half of Minnesota's game vs. New Orleans. It appeared to be self-inflicted, as he was filmed punching a wall on his way to the locker room after being subbed out in the first quarter.
McDaniels is a second-year player out of the University of Washington. The 6-9, 195-pound forward is an excellent defender, and Minnesota has even launched a campaign for him to be named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
The Timberwolves will take on the Lakers in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday with a trip to the playoffs on the line. Unfortunately for them, they're going to have to do it without their talented young forward. They will also be missing star center Rudy Gobert, who won't travel with the team after punching teammate Kyle Anderson during the second quarter of Sunday's game.
MORE: Is Rudy Gobert suspended? Latest news on Timberwolves center
Here's the latest on McDaniels' injury and his status for the 2023 Play-In Tournament.
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What is Jaden McDaniels' injury?
According to a statement from the Timberwolves on Monday, McDaniels suffered fractures of his third and fourth metacarpals. Those are bones located in the large part of the hand between the fingers and the wrist.
The bizarre injury happened during the first quarter of the Timberwolves game against the Pelicans. After being substituted from the game, he appeared to hurt himself when he punched a wall in anger on his way to the locker room. He was seen later with an ice pack on his hand.
The team ruled him out for the rest of the game at halftime. The Timberwolves were trailing the Pelicans 55-48 at that point, but they came back to win 113-108.
Is Jaden McDaniels playing in the 2023 Play-In Tournament?
The team announced on Monday that McDaniels' hand has been placed in a cast and he will be out indefinitely. That certainly rules him out for the Play-In Tournament, and will probably keep him sidelined for the entirety of the playoffs as well (if Minnesota qualifies).
Serious injuries to a player's shooting hand typically keep them out for quite a while. Pistons forward Marvin Bailey III suffered a similar injury earlier this year that kept him out for a total of 54 days. However, Bagley's injury required surgery, while McDaniels' will seemingly just require a cast.
If the Timberwolves do make it out of the Play-In Tournament, they'll face either the Grizzlies or the Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
When does the NBA Play-In Tournament start?
- Play-In Tournament: April 11-14
- NBA Playoffs: April 15
The 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament will begin on Tuesday, April 11. The first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs will start on Saturday, April 15.
NBA Play-In Tournament schedule
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April 11
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| Hawks at Heat | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Timberwolves at Lakers | 10 p.m. | TNT |
April 12
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| Bulls at Raptors | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| Thunder at Pelicans | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
April 14
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TNT |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | ESPN |
Jaden McDaniels career stats, highlights
- 9.6 points per game
- 3.9 rebounds per game
- 1.4 assists per game
- 0.8 steals per game
- 0.9 blocks per game
- 1.1 turnovers per game
- 27.0 minutes per game
- 48.2 percent shooting
- 36.0 percent 3-point shooting
- 73.1 percent free throw shooting