Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch wrestled with what to do with his rotation as several veterans in the backcourt have struggled through their first two losses of the Western Conference Finals.
But facing the potential of a dreaded 0-3 deficit against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Finch finally made a change that had shown some promise in the regular season.
The Timberwolves scorched Oklahoma City 143-101 on May 24 after averaging just 95.5 points in the first two games against an Oklahoma team that owned the No. 1-rated defense in the regular season.
It was an offensive revelation for many players on the team, but the biggest surprise came with Finch giving rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. some runway on the floor.
And, boy, did he take off.
Seeing a playoff-high 13 minutes in Game 3, Shannon poured in 15 points -- outscoring all of the Thunder's starters -- and was plus-11 on the night.
The young guard's aggressive, downhill drives and defense were the jolt the Timberwolves needed, making an undeniable case to Finch moving forward.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (00) reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half in game three of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center.
Terrence Shannon. Jr.
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Seemingly adverse to playing his younger players in the postseason, Finch made a directive that Shannon will see more minutes going forward.
"You're definitely gonna see him more," Finch said of Shannon in his postgame interview. "First thing, to be good in this league, you got to keep doing what you've already just done, so we just want to see more of the game. But we know either way, whether the shots go in, or he scores or doesn't score, he's going to bring energy and competitiveness. That's what we really love about him."
It's been a head-scratcher why Finch hasn't at least tried to see what the younger players on his bench could bring.
When Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were out for a stretch in February, Shannon played significant minutes for a depleted Wolves roster that played Oklahoma City three times in the span of 11 days, winning two of three in that stretch.
Shannon notched a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in a miraculous 131-128 overtime win Feb. 24.
He's proven incredibly effective at getting to the rim and applying pressure to defenses with his explosiveness.
It was a high-risk move for Finch to fight fire with fire, deploying Shannon against an opportunistic Thunder defense, which ultimately paid off.
The Wolves aren't likely to shoot as hot as they did in Game 3, but it appears they have a blueprint to extend this series -- and it should involve Shannon going forward.