Mike Conley has been one of the biggest surprises of the season for the Memphis Grizzlies, as the point guard has played fantastic in the playoffs as the team took a 3-2 series lead over the Los Angeles Clippers with a road win on Tuesday and now the series shifts back to Memphis with elimination on the line for LA.
Chris Paul is known as the best point guard in the league, but Conley has done his part to counter the 35 points he scored in the last game and he added 20 points and six assists along with a number of heads up plays to give the team the advantage heading into the next game. Memphis has proven to be great down low and Marc Gasol has shown why he was the defensive player of the year.
Conley did not match a red-hot Paul shot for shot Tuesday, but with his steady decision-making and poise, he did not have to. It has certainly been working out thus far, as the sixth-year NBA guard is stabilizing Memphis with playoff averages of 16.2 points and 8.6 assists a game, fairly comparable numbers to those of six-time All Star Paul.
A soft-spoken but fierce competitor, Conley may not have the personality suited for headlines, but with the ball constantly in his hands there is little doubt he is authoring Memphis's story. Paul attempted 24 shots and tried his best to will Los Angeles to victory, but his counterpart Conley always found answers; often times using his speed to blow into the lane or lead a fast break, and other times controlling the pace and running the clock.
When he signed a five-year, $40 million dollar contract extension in 2010 many questioned his ability as a franchise point guard, but Conley has led Memphis to the playoffs three straight years while steadily improving.
Conley is clearly showing his worth in his battle with Paul, and also proving that sometimes less is more.
"He's been strong all year," said Memphis coach Lionel Hollins, of his point guard. "He's a competitor, and I would imagine he likes to go out there and compete against the best and see where he stands."
