Mike Conley Sends Message to Former Jazz Teammates Amid Playoff Push

Although Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley no longer resides in Salt Lake City, it doesn’t mean he’s not keeping an eye on his former teammates. Conley shared his thoughts on the Utah Jazz's young talent with NBA insider Brandon Robinson of Bally Sports.

“I watch them all the time," Conley told Robinson. ”They got a lot of young guys over there waiting to play. Collin has been out for a little, but you have Lauri [Markkanen], Walker [Kessler], and Jordan Clarkson. Talen [Horton-Tucker] had 37 the other night. It’s been fun watching those guys develop. I know they’re happy over there.”

Rudy Gobert & @mconley11 reunited in Minnesota.

Conley shares with @BallySports why @rudygobert27 is a unique player & why the Timberwolves are BUSY in the Twin Cities.

Conley Jr. also shares why he likes the Utah Jazz’s upside!

Watch Our Chat ➡️ https://t.co/9WIQbYSzEf pic.twitter.com/HqSK4css6V
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) March 16, 2023

After the trade that saw Conley leave Utah, the Jazz were considered lottery bound, partly due to the lack of depth at the point guard position. But as it shakes out, replacing Conley with Horton-Tucker and Kris Dunn has made Utah a much more formidable team defensively.

Since the roster reshuffle, Utah is 4-5 and still very much alive for postseason play. Minnesota is also 4-5 post-All-Star break as the two franchises battle it out down the stretch. Currently, the Jazz trail the Timberwolves by 1.5 games, with both franchises hitting a rough patch in their respective schedules.

The Timberwolves' next six out of eight games will be on the road against opponents that still have something to play for. However, Minnesota's kryptonite this year has when it's been up against lottery-bound teams. Minnesota is a combined 5-8 versus the Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic, and Detroit Pistons.

Utah will have the benefit of being at home in five out of its next six contests but will also be facing some stiff competition. The Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns will be visiting Salt Lake City and are currently the No. 1, 2, and No. 4 seeds, respectively.

If Utah wants to stay in the playoff conversation, it'll have to pull off some upsets along the way. There’s a real chance that the Jazz could be matched up against ex-Jazzmen in Conley and Rudy Gobert in the play-in tournament.

Wouldn’t that be something if the prospect of Utah's seventh consecutive playoff appearances ends up hinging on beating a pair of ex-Jazzman?

Stay tuned.

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