Good Morning, Illini Nation: A must-see NBA matchup
Oct. 30—Keaton Wagler spent his pre-draft process training in Minneapolis. That allowed Wagler to hit the Target Center and watch fellow former Illinois guards Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. play for the Minnesota Timberwolves in their stretch run before the playoffs. Now, Wagler will lineup against Dosunmu and Shannon for the first time when the Timberwolves host the Los Angeles ...
Keaton Wagler, a former Illinois guard, will face off against his former teammates Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. when the Minnesota Timberwolves take on the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wagler, who has played primarily off the bench for the Clippers so far, has averaged 15 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in his first four NBA games.
Despite his struggles from the field, shooting just 20% on two-pointers, he has excelled at the free-throw line, making 87.1% of his attempts. Dosunmu and Shannon, both of whom have been strong starters for Minnesota this season, will see an increase in their roles with All-Star Anthony Edwards out for at least eight weeks due to a knee procedure.
Dosunmu has maintained a strong performance, averaging 13 points, 4 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in his first six seasons in the league. Shannon has also had a notable season, scoring 19 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out two assists in Wednesday's 119-114 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Kasparas Jakucionis, another former Illini now playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, has seen an increase in his playing time off the bench, despite his struggles from beyond the arc.
He has put up nine points, 4.2 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game, but his three-point shooting stands at just 23%.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
