Memphis Grizzlies point guard, Mike Conley, took an inadvertent elbow to the head late in the third quarter of Game 3 with the Portland Trail Blazers. The incident occurred while he and C.J. McCollum fought to corral a loose ball. Conley was struck in the left eye area, falling to the court and remaining there while Grizzlies training staff and concerned teammates crowded around him.
Fortunately, Conley was able to get up under his own power with a towel pressed to his face to sop up the blood. However; he was unable to return to the game, instead being taken to Legacy Emmanuel Medical Center for testing while his team secured the 3-0 series lead. There has been no news released regarding his present status, but he seems to be okay or, at the very least, on his way to being okay.
Proud of my guys for stepping up! Huge win tonight. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I will be fine! #GNG #allheart
— Mike Conley (@mconley11) April 26, 2015
As much as we would like to see him return for Game 4 on Monday, the Grizzlies now have the perfect justification for resting their star. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, and the Grizzlies have been nothing short of dominant thus far, so keeping Conley sidelined as a precaution is certainly permissible and probably smart.
Conley was banged up to begin with. Aside from a wrist injury that may require offseason surgery, he has been playing through severe Plantar fasciitis in his foot. The pain has been so bad at times that he has likened it to walking with a golf ball in his shoe. The only way it is going to get better and not worse is for him to rest as much as he can when he has the opportunity.
Apr 25, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11) winces in pain after taking an elbow from Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
If the Grizzlies are able to win their series with the Trail Blazers, they will face the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals. It would certainly be advantageous for them to approach that matchup with everyone as healthy as possible. As long as Conley’s latest impairment does not require him to miss a significant amount of time (as perhaps a facial fracture would), it could be just what the Grizzlies need to rejuvenate him for the long haul.
Our thoughts are with him as we wait on a diagnosis. The last thing we want is for another team to have their hopes of title contention diminished by injury as Portland’s were. Check back later for more news on Conley’s situation.
*UPDATE #1*
*UPDATE #2*
TNT's Lewis Johnson reports: Mike Conley will undergo surgery to repair multiple fractures in facial bones Monday morning in Memphis.
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 26, 2015
*UPDATE #3*
Mike Conley's face surgery is 7:30 tomorrow morning, I'm told. Memphis' invaluable PG ruled out of Game 4, but hopeful it's short recovery.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 27, 2015
Next: McCollum scores playoff career-high: Game 3 Roundtable