Mike Conley never seems to show much emotion on the court, and he famously has never earned a technical foul in his 17-year NBA career. He has the reputation for being one of the nicest guys and teammates in the NBA.
But Conley will tell you that despite the placid exterior and megawatt smile, there burns an insatiable competitiveness and sometimes even an anger to win.
No Wolves player has done more to bring professionalism and maturity to this season’s team, and when the Wolves were fighting themselves Thursday night against Memphis, it was Conley who again sparked a run that saved them in a 118-103 Wolves win.
With the Wolves trailing 89-85 with 10 minutes, 47 seconds to play in the fourth, Conley scored eight straight points for the Wolves and sent them on their way to their fourth consecutive victory, and their 30th overall at the midway point of the season (30-11).
When Conley hit a three from the left wing to put the Wolves up 93-89, he pounded his chest and took in the reaction from an excited crowd.
Conley’s 17 points and 10 assists complemented the effort of Rudy Gobert, who had 17 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. That helped them overcome a lackluster first half from Anthony Edwards, who woke up in the second half to score 26 of his 28 points while Karl-Anthony Towns trudged to 14 points. Naz Reid added 20 points, which included 13 in the span of about three minutes in the first quarter. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 36 for an injury-ravaged Memphis team that was without several key players including Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, but Jackson was in foul trouble much of the second half.
The Wolves began Thursday’s game similar to how they did Wednesday in Detroit – disinterested in playing defense.
They also weren’t much interested in playing offense either. They began the night by falling behind 27-14 and committing five turnovers. Edwards began the night 1-for-4 with a pair of turnovers. The Wolves looked lifeless until late in the quarter. First, Gobert got into it with Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama to get the crowd back into the evening. Then Reid went on his red-hot roll.
He had already hit one three, but then he followed that with a flurry unlike any he’s had in his career. He hit a three, then he followed that with some fancy footwork in the lane for a layup. Then came another three from the right corner and a layup after he stole a pass on the defensive end. In three minutes, Reid scored 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Reid’s boomlet brought the Wolves back even 30-30.
But that didn’t wake up the Wolves permanently. They fell back into a stupor in the second quarter, and fell behind again by as much as eight. Edwards took just one shot in the second quarter and he and Towns finished the first half 3-for-13 for seven combined points. The Wolves went into halftime trailing 55-50. Jackson had 23 points in the first half for Memphis.
Jackson picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and Edwards finally arrived on the evening with 14 points.
That included one highlight when he threw the ball to himself off the backboard before an easy bucket. But despite Edwards’ offense, the Wolves still trailed 86-81 headed into the fourth. The Wolves then made their push with Conley leading the charge, Gobert shutting down the rim on defense and Edwards and Towns resting. Then they pulled away in the final minutes, turning a once close game into a rout.