Jaden McDaniels sits at 4,989 career points, 11 short of 5,000, and Minnesota meets Milwaukee on Monday. The Wolves are 4-3 and ninth without Anthony Edwards, so his scoring matters beyond the round number.
Eleven to Go
By our count, McDaniels needs 11 points to reach 5,000. At his pace this season, 17.3 a night over seven games, that is a projection of about one game. Seven games is a thin base, but his recent run supports it: 13, 15, 14, 23 and 19 in the five games where his line is listed. He scored 19 at San Antonio on 7-of-17 shooting, and Monday should settle the question.
The Missing Minutes
The milestone is a bright spot in a lopsided count. Since opening night Minnesota has lost 627 minutes to injury, the 11th most among the 30 clubs. Edwards, at 33.6 minutes a game, and Donte DiVincenzo, at 30.4, account for 64 minutes out today. Edwards has an estimated return of December 21. Rudy Gobert moved from out to day-to-day on Sunday, with Monday as his estimated return. Our tracking since October 20 is a caution: 2 of 3 Wolves listed that way missed the next game, against 65 of 112 league-wide.
A Soft Landing
Milwaukee arrives 1-5, with a net rating of minus 12.8 this season and a 119.4 defensive rating over six games. Minnesota won the October 5 meeting 116-97. The trouble is the Wolves' own slide: they were plus 2.2 a game for the season but are minus 6.4 over their last 10. LaMelo Ball is also three threes short of 1,000, about two games away at 2.9 a night. The road then runs through Houston, New Orleans and a home date with Utah. Watch whether McDaniels reaches 5,000 early and whether Gobert's availability holds.
How many points does Jaden McDaniels need for 5,000?
He has 4,989 career points and needs 11. At his 17.3 a night this season, he is projected to get there in about one game.
Is Rudy Gobert playing against the Bucks?
He is listed day-to-day with an estimated return of November 2. Our count shows 2 of 3 Wolves newly listed that way since October 20 missed the next game.
