64364576c0d42.image — Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

How Former Buckeye Mike Conley Nearly Pushed Timberwolves Past Lakers

Conley put up vintage numbers Tuesday night, including a team-high six 3-pointers during the Wolves' loss, but despite the game not ending in Minnesota's favor, the veteran showed his ability to take over a game and be a true leader.

Author:
Matt Guzman
Apr 13, 2023 1:01 PM EDT

Hitting three free throws in a row in a hostile environment with a postseason game on the line is a near-impossible task for just about any NBA player, especially without having taken a single other shot from the charity stripe until that point.

Adding the fact that a miss would lose the game instantly — as the clock read .01 seconds — made the task that much more difficult.

But former Ohio State Buckeyes guard Mike Conley did it — forcing overtime to cap off arguably his best performance all year for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who ended up losing 108-102 to the Los Angeles Lakers to determine the West's 7-seed.

"Before I took the first shot, I thought, 'I'm glad it's me'," Conley said. "Regardless of if I make or miss, I'd rather be the guy in control. I wouldn't have been able to handle it if I was watching."

"After the first one went in, it kind of calmed down a little bit ... and I locked in on the next two," he added.

Despite the loss, the veteran point guard was in control, and his clutch performance played a big part in the Wolves' early success, though the story of his heavy involvement began even before the game was set to happen.

Entering its final regular season matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans with its playoff hopes on the line, Minnesota found itself needing almost everything to go right.

A win would have given them more momentum heading into a potential play-in scenario, but with all eyes on them, the Wolves seemed to lose sight of their end goal — self-imploding throughout the game's 48 minutes.

Whether it was the added pressure of the playoff implications that wreaked havoc for Minnesota, or simply a byproduct of the large roster change that it endured at February's trade deadline, the Wolves looked lost in their own arena.

Veteran center Rudy Gobert started the team's apparent meltdown, losing his temper during a timeout and exchanging heated words with his teammate, Kyle Anderson, during a conversation that did not end pretty.

That was punch number one.

And with a halftime deficit culminating the Wolves' chemistry struggles, Minnesota's best perimeter defender in Jaden McDaniels lost his temper as well, only at the wall heading to the locker room. That was punch number two.

"It was very frustrating," Wolves head coach Chris Finch said following the game. "A lot [was] on the line, and we're not proud of that ... but guys were just frustrated. We weren't playing well ... we looked sluggish."

But in the midst of the woes, Minnesota found a way to beat the Pelicans —securing a play-in matchup against the Lakers. In the aftermath of the team's issues, Gobert was suspended for the game and McDaniels was diagnosed with a broken hand, likely keeping him out for an extended period of time.

That's where Conley took advantage.

"I felt great," he said. "I was just shooting the ball when I got opportunities, and [was] aggressive when I needed to."

With Ohio State, Conley proved himself as a multi-faceted playmaker, averaging double-digit points while also leading his team in assists. He played a crucial role during the Buckeyes' 2006-2007 NCAA tournament run that ended one game short of a title before moving on to begin his NBA career.

Sixteen seasons later, that playmaking ability was on full display, as the 35-year-old finished Tuesday night with 23 points, four rebounds and four assists on 75 percent 3-point shooting.

Conley's offensive production only slowed down towards the end of the fourth quarter ... along with every other Wolves player. As a team, Minnesota scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter — giving up what was a 15-point lead over the Lakers.

"They just made the [right] plays at the end of [the game]," Conley said. "We've just got to be mentally and physically more engaged. When our bodies get tired, we have to double down on the details. We just kind of lost it there."

After being acquired mid-season from the Utah Jazz, Conley has already made an impact on the Wolves' younger players, but also on the team as a whole. His veteran leadership has earned him the respect of fans and teammates, but also his new head coach.

"Mike is a winning player," Finch said. "He makes big-time plays, he's got composure [and] nothing rattles him. He's super smart, and it's a luxury to have him on our team."

So with their season on the line, the Wolves will need to "lock in" for the remainder of their games, whether they be play-in or playoff matchups. The latter has yet to be earned, but make no mistake, Conley will be a go-to guy for Minnesota as it looks to make a run in the postseason.

And he is ready to help lead his team.

"At the end of the day, I was proud of the way that we showed heart down the stretch," Conley said. "[Especially] through adversity. This team is built to handle that. We have deep team, a lot of guys [can] perform at a high level, but we've got to learn from it."

Next up for Conley and the Minnesota Timberwolves is a Friday night matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the winner taking the final playoff spot in the West. Tipoff from Target Center in Minneapolis is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT.