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The Timberwolves’ Hidden Weapon
A photograph of Jaden McDaniels, Timberwolves’ Forward, defending LeBron James in Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs (Athlete: Jaden McDaniels Source: athlongsports.com Photograph by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)
Jaden McDaniels was never supposed to carry the Timberwolves offense. He was drafted to be a long, switchable defender — not a 30-point playoff scorer. Yet in Game 3 against the Lakers on April 25th, 2025, he erupted for 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting. His performance flipped both the series and the fantasy sports landscape.
The Timberwolves are now on the verge of eliminating the three-seeded Lakers who were fan favorites to win this series. It is all thanks to Jaden McDaniels who came in clutch in a pivotal game three. He averaged just 10.5 PPG in the regular season and hadn’t hit 30 since last year. But under the bright lights of the playoffs, something clicked.
A DFS Gem Hiding in Plain Sight
From low-cost afterthought to must-have tournament play: McDaniels’ salary stayed flat while savvy DFS managers caught his ownership soaring. This is how sharp players win slates. (Original)
DFS lineups that bet on McDaniels benefited from an ultra-low price tag and almost no ownership. It was a pure leverage play, and it paid off in buckets.
What made it sweeter was the matchup. He did it against LeBron and Luka, while also being the primary defender.
This two-way dominance meant he never left the floor, logging massive minutes. More minutes equals more opportunities and fantasy upside.
Rising Confidence, Rising Value
Game 3 changed everything. McDaniels flipped the script with a fantasy performance that blew past expectations and outpaced the entire Timberwolves lineup. Source: Original
His 3-point shooting also came alive at the perfect time, hitting 42.9% in the series. That spacing opened up Minnesota’s offense and boosted his assist and rebounding numbers.
Suddenly, McDaniels is not just the defensive specialist. He was the cheat code that separated GPP (Guaranteed Prize Pool) winners from the field.
If you saw it coming, you probably made the DFS leaderboard. If not, you now know what to look for.
(SportAI Inc TM)
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