May 6—Terrence Shannon Jr. didn’t play in either of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first two first-round playoff games against the Denver Nuggets last month, was inactive for Game 3 and barely broke into the rotation in Game 4.
Then, a series of injuries changed the backcourt calculus for Minnesota as its playoff run progressed.
Ayo Dosunmu was the answer when Donte DiVincenzo ruptured his Achilles and Anthony Edwards hyperextended his knee in the first half of Game 4 against Denver. A 43-point explosion from the former Illinois guard that kept the Timberwolves on track for a series win.
Then, Dosunmu went down with a calf injury ahead of Game 6. Minnesota had to turn to the other former Illini guard on its roster, and Shannon delivered both in the series-clinching win against the Nuggets and Monday’s series-opening win against the San Antonio Spurs to start the second round.
Two standout performances. Two postgame press conference appearances, including Monday night alongside Edwards, the face of the franchise.
An incredible turn of events for a second-year player that had struggled to carve out a role for the Timberwolves.
Injuries haven’t helped Shannon in his bid to get on the court for Minnesota. Two to his left foot, first a bone bruise and then an abductor hallucis strain, cost him a chunk of November and then sidelined him from late December until mid-February this season.
But even when Shannon has been healthy he hasn’t been able to break consistently into the Timberwolves’ rotation.
Using him correctly from the get go, of course, might have made a difference.
“We’ve learned with TJ, he’s got to have the ball in his hands,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch told reporters after Shannon produced 24 points, six rebounds and two steals to help close out the series against Denver.
“Silly me, we played him out of the corner most of the season,” Finch continued. “But he’s way better with the ball in his hands at the top of the floor. I thought he’d give us a boost. I didn’t realize it would be like this — not just with his scoring, but I think he made a lot of emotional energy plays that got the crowd into it. He played with force. He let it be known that he was going to be reckoned with.”
None of that would have been revelatory to anyone who watched Shannon during his final season at Illinois. Finch might have benefited from going back to that film when trying to figure out how best to use the physical, 6-foot-6 guard. The Illini ran a two-pronged offense during the 2023-24 season, with putting the ball in Shannon’s hands and letting him abuse defenders with a wicked first step to get to the basket the complement to Marcus Domask in “booty ball.”
All Shannon did was shatter Illinois’ single-season scoring record that season as a catalyst for an Elite Eight run. His No. 0 jersey hangs in the State Farm Center rafters — right side up, of course — for a reason.
Minnesota used its second first-round pick of the 2024 NBA draft to bring Shannon to Minneapolis, and the Timberwolves appeared close to whiffing on both selections. They gave up on Rob Dillingham after a season-plus, shipping him to Chicago in the deal that secured Dosunmu ahead of the trade deadline, and still couldn’t figure how best to use Shannon until injuries forced Finch’s hand.
Shannon has proven, when given the opportunity, he can be a difference-maker in the NBA. His playoff performances have only reinforced that notion. His 16 points and five rebounds — mostly in the second half — helped Minnesota outlast the Spurs on Monday night in San Antonio.
Shannon simply did what he does best in getting downhill and finishing at the rim. Even against 7-4 center Victor Wembanyama and his ridiculous 8-foot wingspan.
Wembanyama blocked 12 shots Monday night, but Shannon didn’t alter his offensive approach. Shades of the Elite Eight game against Connecticut two years ago when Donovan Clingan confounded the Illini, but markedly more successful.
“He’s going to have to block it every time,” Shannon said following Minnesota’s Game 1 win. “I ain’t going to stop going downhill. I told him that when he said a little something after he blocked my second one. He’s going to have to block it every time. I know he ain’t going to block it every single time. I’m going to dunk on him.”
That answer showed some swagger from the generally soft-spoken Shannon. Confidence from a job well done. From taking advantage of what, to that point in his still-young NBA career, had been a rare opportunity.
Shannon rose to the occasion. Twice.