Terrence Shannon Jr. Shines in Timberwolves' Loss to Magic

Wolves rested key players, but Shannon scored a career-high 33 points in the defeat.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:06pm

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A fractured, geometric painting in bold colors depicting the action and movement of a basketball game, conveying the raw energy and excitement of the sport.Terrence Shannon Jr.'s career night for the Timberwolves is captured in a cubist-inspired illustration that captures the dynamic energy of his performance.Indianapolis Today

With the Timberwolves resting several starters, including Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert, second-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr. had the best game of his NBA career, scoring a career-high 33 points in a 132-120 loss to the Orlando Magic. Shannon made 11 of his 14 shots, including 5 of 7 from three-point range, and also dished out 5 assists.

Why it matters

Shannon's performance was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable game for the Timberwolves, who were already locked into the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. It showed the potential of the young guard, who has spent most of the season out of the rotation, and could earn him more playing time if the Wolves need a scoring spark off the bench in the playoffs.

The details

The Timberwolves' B-squad hung around for most of the first half, but the Magic pulled away in the second half, leading by as many as 24 points. In addition to Shannon's big night, the Wolves got solid contributions from Jaden McDaniels, who scored 18 points in his return from a knee injury, and Naz Reid, who had 15 points, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Rookie big man Joan Beringer showed flashes but also struggled with foul trouble, picking up 5 fouls in less than 11 minutes of action.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, April 9, 2026.

The players

Terrence Shannon Jr.

A second-year guard for the Timberwolves who scored a career-high 33 points in the loss to the Magic.

Jaden McDaniels

A Timberwolves forward who returned from a knee injury to score 18 points in 19 minutes of action.

Naz Reid

A Timberwolves center who had 15 points, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in the game.

Joan Beringer

A rookie big man for the Timberwolves who showed flashes but struggled with foul trouble, picking up 5 fouls in less than 11 minutes.

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What they’re saying

“We know TJ can play this way. Obviously, 33 (points), we don't expect that from him every night. But for him to be able to have the opportunity to go out and play this way, at this point, suits us for playoffs. Because it's a lot of situational stuff. You never know what the game's going to need.”

— Chris Finch, Timberwolves Head Coach

“Naz's game today was awesome. That's two games in a row now, he looks like he's back a little bit more like himself. Found his touch. And I really liked how he made a lot of gritty plays defensively, that kind of stuff.”

— Chris Finch, Timberwolves Head Coach

“He's gotta learn to play without fouling. He plays hard, he goes after everything, but there's gotta be an intelligence and a poise that he has to learn, and he will.”

— Chris Finch, Timberwolves Head Coach

What’s next

The Timberwolves will continue to evaluate Jaden McDaniels' recovery from his knee injury and determine if he is ready for a full workload in the playoffs. They will also look to see if Terrence Shannon Jr. can build on his career night and potentially earn more playing time off the bench.

The takeaway

While the Timberwolves' loss to the Magic was largely forgettable, Terrence Shannon Jr.'s breakout performance showed the team has depth and scoring potential beyond their starting lineup. If Shannon can provide that kind of spark off the bench in the playoffs, it could be a valuable asset for the Wolves as they look to make a deep postseason run.