Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley has been activated to play in Game 2 against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals. Conley will be wearing a protective mask as he returns to take his place in the starting lineup.
This is great news for the Grizzlies who look like a different team without Conley on the floor. Averaging 16.0 points and 3.7 assists on 50 percent shooting, he is sorely needed.
But it is not just on the offensive end where Conley’s presence is required. More than anything, the Grizzlies would love his defensive prowess to try and slow down Stephen Curry.
In the first round, Conley held Damian Lillard to 18.0 points per game on 35 percent shooting in three games. With Conley out the final two games of that series, Lillard averaged 27.0 point on 47.6 percent shooting, a major difference.
Nick Calathes will head back to the bench and possibly become the third point guard off the pine, while Beno Udrih continues to man the backup point guard role.
Mike Conley’s plus-minus rating is a plus-32 during the playoffs, which is more than anyone on the Grizzlies.