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Jaden McDaniels aggressively shoves Nikola Jokic, called for technical foul in Game 1

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh04/18/26griffin_mcveigh

Jaden McDaniels and Nikola Jokic are going to be battling for an entire series. Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets are going to be relying on those guys, no matter how many games take place. And maybe to no surprise, tensions are already brewing between the two. Specifically on McDaniels’ end.

Both McDaniels and Jokic were fighting for a rebound down low late in the third quarter, something the former eventually won. McDaniels then got a shot up and put two points on the board for the Timberwolves. What happened next got the attention of the Nuggets and, unfortunately for McDaniels, the officials.

A clear shove in the back of Jokic came from McDaniels, well after the ball went through the hoop. Jokic went past the baseline and into the front rows of fans attending in Denver. Whistles quickly came for a technical foul on McDaniels, while Nuggets players went to defend their guy.

We are potentially facing seven of these games. Denver and Minnesota are two of the Western Conference’s best teams, even if it’s a first-round matchup. Seeing a technical foul getting handed out in Game 1 may help calm the tensions moving forward. Either way, you can check out the full moment here.

More on Nikola Jokic, Jaden McDaniels

Jokic has been one of the best players in the NBA for nearly a decade now. His run continued during the 2025-2026 season, putting together a case to win league MVP. A triple-double was put up, on average, every single night by Jokic. In 65 games played, he put up 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game.

Denver knows how important Jokic will be in order to once again win an NBA title. Playing mind games with the opponent can be a part of the equation, at times.

As for McDaniels, he was a consistent starter all year for the Timberwolves. His numbers sat at 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. McDaniels saw his three-point shooting drop at a career rate, making 41.2% from deep. Minnesota will need him to make those kinds of shots when given the opportunity.

Taking Game 1 is an important one, wanting to get ahead in the series. Game 2 will take place after a day off, scheduled for Monday night at 8:30 p.m. MT. A fun one between the Timberwolves and Nuggets should unfold for us.