Trailing 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves needed a spark in Game 3 to regain momentum against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With the team playing its first home game of the series, head coach Chris Finch turned to rookie Terrence Shannon early off the bench. The Timberwolves built a commanding lead in the first quarter, driven by Anthony Edwards, and Shannon's contributions significantly boosted the team's offense, leading to a resounding 143-101 victory.

Prior to this game, Shannon had only played two minutes in the series and a total of 20 minutes during the playoffs. In Game 3, however, he logged a postseason-high 13 minutes and maximized his playing time.

After the game, Anthony Edwards commended Shannon for his energetic performance.

"T.J. came in and brought ultimate energy," Edwards said. "We can't ask for anything more. He made all the right plays, attacked the basket aggressively, and stepped up big for us tonight."

Head coach Chris Finch also explained his choice to include Shannon, noting he wanted to add a new dynamic to the rotation.

"(He's a) guy who can stretch the floor in transition, a downhill player with a good body," Finch said. "Just a different kind of player than we have at other positions."

Terrence Shannon stats

Shannon achieved several playoff career highs in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, providing essential offense for Minnesota.

Minutes: 13

Points: 15

Rebounds: 2

Assists: 1

Steals: 1

FGM-FGA: 5-8

3PM-3PA: 1-3

FTM-FTA: 4-4

In addition to his career-high minutes, Shannon scored a playoff career-high 15 points, having previously tallied just six points across the entire 2025 postseason, with two points in three separate games.

The rookie appeared in 32 games this season, averaging 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in just over 10 minutes per game. Minnesota selected the Illinois guard with the 27th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.