Minnesota Sports Forum

kekgeek wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2026 10:38 am Ayo and bones downgraded to Q

FNG wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2026 12:37 pm Yeah, and Gordon remains questionable. Gordon's injury is going to hurt Denver far more than Ayo's and Hyland's hurts us. I'll predict our two guys play and Gordon doesn't.

Both teams had an extra day to practice and talk about what they need to do tonight. I think Finchy said attack the rim and protect the ball. And Alfred E Adelman said pack the paint while still being handsy on the perimeter.

I expect to see the same starting 5 for both teams tonight. And I think Clark may get minutes before Shannon. Finchy was clearly unhappy with TJ's defense in the last game. And when he was asked about how they were going to coach him up to be better on defense, he said the coaches had done everything they can do...it's up to TJ to execute. Both of them benefitted from the little run we made in garbage time, but if you strip out those minutes, Jalen was a +7 and TJ a -10 for the game. And if you need a bigger sample size, TJ was our worst on/off guy for the entire season...we gave up 14 more points per 100 possessions when he was on the court compared to off. I know we all love it when TJ gets downhill, but this game is way too important to have to endure the point bleeding that usually happens when he plays.

The crowd is going to be an important 6th man tonight I think. Denver fed off of their fans' enthusiasm Monday, and it seemed like a factor in their far more inspired defensive effort. And the crowd also seemed to impact Jaden, even though he said he enjoyed it. Tonight he is going to get perhaps the most love he has ever received from a Minnesota crowd, and I expect him to feed off it and have a really good 2-way game. We need to win this one!

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2026 1:02 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2026 12:37 pm Yeah, and Gordon remains questionable. Gordon's injury is going to hurt Denver far more than Ayo's and Hyland's hurts us. I'll predict our two guys play and Gordon doesn't.

Both teams had an extra day to practice and talk about what they need to do tonight. I think Finchy said attack the rim and protect the ball. And Alfred E Adelman said pack the paint while still being handsy on the perimeter.

I expect to see the same starting 5 for both teams tonight. And I think Clark may get minutes before Shannon. Finchy was clearly unhappy with TJ's defense in the last game. And when he was asked about how they were going to coach him up to be better on defense, he said the coaches had done everything they can do...it's up to TJ to execute. Both of them benefitted from the little run we made in garbage time, but if you strip out those minutes, Jalen was a +7 and TJ a -10 for the game. And if you need a bigger sample size, TJ was our worst on/off guy for the entire season...we gave up 14 more points per 100 possessions when he was on the court compared to off. I know we all love it when TJ gets downhill, but this game is way too important to have to endure the point bleeding that usually happens when he plays.

The crowd is going to be an important 6th man tonight I think. Denver fed off of their fans' enthusiasm Monday, and it seemed like a factor in their far more inspired defensive effort. And the crowd also seemed to impact Jaden, even though he said he enjoyed it. Tonight he is going to get perhaps the most love he has ever received from a Minnesota crowd, and I expect him to feed off it and have a really good 2-way game. We need to win this one!

So disappointing on TJ. It just boggles my mind that you have this 5-year college player from good programs and is considered a tireless worker with immense athletic gifts, yet he can't execute a defensive assignment/game plan!?!

I get it when it's a 20-year old with no college and 1 year of G-League Ignite experience (i.e. Lenny Miller), but Shannon seems like such an unlikely candidate for being defensively clueless. He cut his teeth for Texas Tech for God's sake, where you HAVE to defend!

Alas, I agree that Clark should play a more prominent role in this game. I'd put him on Murray to start the 2nd quarter and 4th quarters. That's usually when Jokic sits and Murray has to run the offense. You guys might remember that Jokic "guarded" Clark when they were on the floor together in Game 5. I'd rather not give him a free pass on that end of the court.

AbeVigodaLive wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2026 2:30 pm I'm thinking differently than others. I think TJ Shannon gets heavy minutes this game... and it's why Finch sat him early last game. I think he was looking ahead to Game 6 already.

Additionally, the Wolves lack A LOT of firepower offensively right now. And even if Bones and Ayo play... will they be 100%? I can't think of a better time to throw Shannon out there and hope for magic in a bottle. The Wolves need his scoring and aggressiveness on offense, simple as that. Right now, that's what the Timberwolves need more than anything, and Clark can't give them that.

Tonight will be remembered as the TJ Shannon game.*



* And if it's not, he'll be moved this summer. This is exactly why he's on the team.