TJ Shannon Jr Works Too Hard for Timberwolves’ Liking?

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Terrence Shannon Jr - Playoffs - Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Timberwolves advanced beyond the first round of the NBA Playoffs for the third-straight postseason on Friday night.

They did it with a convincing 110-98 Game 6 victory over the Denver Nuggets, in which the Wolves were without all three of their most productive ball-handlers, Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu.

How did shorthanded MN Timberwolves finish off Nuggets?

Yet, it’s Timberwolves who are moving on and the Nuggets that are cooked. How did that happen?

First and foremost, Rudy Gobert, again, played some of the best defense this league has ever seen on three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who still got his own (28 PTS, 10 AST, 9 REB), but in a much less effective way. Especially Friday, Rudy was more than competent offensively too (10 PTS, 8 AST, 13 REB).

Meanwhile, Jaden McDaniels’ unique ability to beat defenders on one end of the floor, then flex his own defensive muscles on those same dudes on the other end… has proven indispensable for Minnesota, especially now that they are shorthanded.

Then, there’s the 2026 postseason arrival of second-year guard/wing, Terrence Shannon Jr., who was forced into action Friday because of all the injuries in the Minnesota Timberwolves basket.

Terrence Shannon Jr’s big night

His response? To go off for 24 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Had his outside shot been on (1-for-7 from 3PT), TJS would have gone for 40. Obviously, Denver was not ready for the heat Shannon Jr. brings when he’s trying to get to the rim.

Wolves head coach Chris Finch was asked earlier this week why Terrence Shannon Jr wasn’t getting more run against the Denver Nuggets. It’s a fair question, given what the NBA world learned last night — that attacking the basket is TJ Shannon Jr’s superpower.

And we knew earlier in this series, thanks to some GREAT insight from Jaden McDaniels, that attacking this Nuggets squad full of “terrible defenders” was the best way to beat them. So, what took so long?

Finch told reporters that TJS needed to lock in defensively, if he wanted more consistent playing time — a press conference moment that made headlines earlier this week, but now looks like a public challenge to a young player that was willfully accepted, because the former Illini superstar was marvelous Friday night.

Minnesota Timberwolves trying to slow TJ Shannon down?

But if you think that is the first time Finchy has tried sending a message to the 25-year-old out of Chicago, you’d be wrong. In fact, you could argue Terrence works too hard to prove doubters wrong, whether they come from inside or outside the organization.

After the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Game 6 victory, McDaniels revealed to reporters that coaches actually had to kick TJ out of the gym and tell him to ramp down his workout habits earlier this season. That he was, essentially, working too hard for his own good.

“Even if he have a bad game, he still coming in and putting in work. He have a good game he always coming in to work. It got to a point where we had to ban him from working out.

That’s a good thing. You see it tonight. He come in with confidence and we all knew TJ could do this so it’s not a surprise for us. I’m just happy for him.”

Jaden McDaniels on Terrence Shannon Jr’s work ethic

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I’m not sure how hard you have to work for the coaching staff to tell you to stop working so hard, but I know I am impressed. And at least until Anthony Edwards returns, the Minnesota Timberwolves need TJS to watch his practice habits for a different reason.

MN Timberwolves will need Terrence Shannon Jr vs Spurs

Because they need him to make sure he has enough energy in their upcoming second-round series against the San Antonio Spurs, so he can put up more big performances like he did late in the series against Denver.

Not only did he put up big numbers in Game 6, but Terrence Shannon Jr posted a quiet 15 points the night before, in Minnesota’s Game 5 loss back in Denver. If you go back to the regular season, TJ scored 26 and 23 points respectively, in games 81 and 82.

In other words, this is a kid who’s been primed for lift off. Now, he just needs to grab the moment, so the Wolves can ride some of his lightnight in round two.

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