Timberwolves star labels Jaden McDaniels team's MVP

Many scoffed at the Timberwolves front office for giving Jaden McDaniels a five-year, $136 million contract last October. That kind of money is typically reserved for a 20-points-per-game scorer or an elite sharpshooter, neither of which describes McDaniels, a role player who gives it his all on defense.

But the Timberwolves obviously knew what they were doing.

In Minnesota's two playoff series wins, McDaniels clamped down on gifted scorers such as Devin Booker and Michael Porter Jr., holding them to subpar shooting splits by forcing them into bad shots. 

To McDaniels' credit, he's also done his part on offense, blossoming into a reliable 3&D specialist. When the Timberwolves faced elimination in back-to-back games against Denver, McDaniels answered the bell by averaging 22 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 73 percent from deep.

McDaniels' teammates realize his value. After the Timberwolves ousted the Nuggets, Anthony Edwards ended his presser by naming McDaniels the team's MVP.