Timberwolves coach Chris Finch didn't want to take guard Jordan McLaughlin off the floor in Tuesday's 129-114 win over the Warriors, but he ended up leaving McLaughlin out there for 18 straight minutes.
"Which is probably not very responsible," Finch deadpanned after the game.
McLaughlin has earned playing time over his three seasons with the Wolves because of how effectively he can run the offense in spurts. He stayed on the floor Tuesday because of his defense.
When Finch was asked after the game what impressed him most about the Wolves' defense, he said, without hesitation, McLaughlin. He praised the job McLaughlin did guarding Jordan Poole and Stephen Curry.
"He plays hard, he plays the right way, he sets the tone," Finch said. "He's in such a rhythm right now. He's playing the best basketball of his career, I'm sure. Teammates love playing with him. They love watching him play, offensively and defensively."
Through the first 48 games hardly anybody was watching McLaughlin play, because it was hard for him to crack the rotation. Since a loss in late January to Phoenix, McLaughlin hasn't left it.
He was just 1-for-6 for three points on offense, but Finch wasn't concerned about the raw numbers. He just pictured McLaughlin chasing Curry around as best he could.
Those 18 straight minutes he played aren't like 18 straight minutes guarding other players.
"I didn't realize it," McLaughlin said. "Once I kinda catch my wind out there, I'm pretty good. It's just catching that second wind."
His play of late has helped him catch a second wind for the season.
"I felt pretty good right now," McLaughlin said. "Kinda got a rhythm and flow, knowing when I'm going in and when I'm coming out, and just trying to leave it all on the court while I'm out there playing both ends of the ball."
McLaughlin was a plus-17 Tuesday, the highest number of any Wolves player.
"J-Mac is a product of getting out of the mud," guard D'Angelo Russell said. "His route to get here and stay here and find a home here has been great. We all respect him and his craft. More than capable."
A plan for Edwards
Guard/forward Anthony Edwards missed the first game of his career for a non-COVID- related reason on Tuesday as he sat out because of lingering left knee tendinopathy.
Finch characterized Edwards as more "day to day" even as the Wolves may be dealing with Edwards' injury the rest of the season.
"I'm sure we're getting a plan in place to see what we can do here with this upcoming schedule," Finch said. "We've got a couple days' break, so this was a way to extend that. We'll see where we stand after that."
The rip through
With the Wolves in the penalty Tuesday night, Russell checked back in and immediately drew a foul with a move that has become a common part of his repertoire — the rip through. That's when Russell holds the ball away from the defender on one side of his body, rips it through to the other side hoping to make contact with the defender's arms on the way.
His efforts got the Wolves a pair of free throws during a 10-2 run that closed the second quarter.
Russell said he got inspiration from watching Chris Paul do it so many times over the years.
"Nobody's playing the way he's playing, just trying to dominate the game from up top," Russell said. "Just basketball, it's all mental up there with his game. I watch and I study and try to bring that element to the game as well."
