PG Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)

[Buckskin86]

Rookie Watch: Conley makes appearance in top 10
By David Thorpe
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: January 16, 2008

? For a young player, Mike Conley has shown an impressive amount of courage in using his right hand (he's a lefty) to finish attempts at the rim. That will serve him well throughout his career. The scouting report on him is still "goes left almost every time," especially from the left wing. But being an ambidextrous finisher shows he is not a one-handed player. Middle penetrations from the left wing are a good thing for him to focus on in the coming weeks.

ESPN - Rookie Watch: Conley makes appearance in top 10 - NBA

[Buckskin86]

Numbers Give Ball to Conley

By: Jason Fleming Last Updated: 1/18/08

The Memphis Grizzlies have plenty of problems on their hand, what with winning ten games going into Friday night's game with Seattle. They are giving up over 105 points a game, Darko Milicic has been hurt, the offense has been inconsistent, and trade rumors continue to swirl around star forward Pau Gasol.

But point guard, that's one place where the Grizzlies' problems are only good. Well, besides Damon Stoudamire's agent Aaron Goodwin getting a little snippy about Stoudamire being sent to the inactive list. Stoudamire can still play a decent game (and might end up doing it for another team), sophomore Kyle Lowry has played well after missing all of last year, and rookie Mike Conley, Jr. is now the team's starter.

Mike Conley, Jr.

Games (starts): 14 (8)
Record: 2-6, .250
Minutes: 24.8
Points: 8.8
Rebounds: 2.4
Assists: 4.6
Turnovers: 1.8
Steals: 1.00
FG%: 45.5
3FG%: 34.6

Since Conley became the starter he has scored in double figures in six of eight games ? and dished six or better assists five times. He also has shown good range and that he is the best shooter of the group, overall if not quite a better three-point threat than Stoudamire. Given his penchant for pushing the offense ? a must under Iavaroni ? and how that plays to the strengths of top scorers Rudy Gay, Gasol and Mike Miller, it's quite doubtful Conley will lose his grip on the starting spot anytime soon.

HOOPSWORLD | NBA News, Rumors and Information

[MaxBuck]

The Grizz are a very fun team to watch, thanks in no small part to MCJr and his kinetic style. I hope the Ws start to outnumber the Ls for this young, athletic team.

[TRON]

Mike Conley had 10 points and a career-high 10 assists.

cont. SI.com - News and Scores from Sports Illustrated

[Buckskin86]

NBA: January 26, 2008
Conley deserving of rookie recognition

By Justin Powell
ProBasketballNews.com

For the season, Conley is averaging 8.9 points,
2.6 rebounds and five assists per game. As a starter, he?s been good for 10.58, 3.16 and 5.75, respectively.

Compared to Durant (19.4, 4.2 and 2.1), those numbers don?t look incredible. But a couple of the other statistics are more telling.

As has been well-documented, Durant is not shooting the ball exceptionally well, at 40.4 percent (compared to 44.4 for Conley).

An even bigger difference comes in the assist-to-turnover ratio department. Granted, Conley is a pass-first point guard while Durant is a shoot-first two guard, so it?s no surprise Conley is doing better in that category. But just how much better he?s doing proves a lot about each player.

With an average of 1.61 turnovers per game, Conley has an assist-to-turnover ratio of better than 3-to-1. Durant, on the other hand, averages 2.85 turnovers per game -- a decent amount more than his 2.1 assists per contest. So his ratio is less than 1-to-1.

And it?s not like he just started slow and is getting better in that category -- in his last four games, Durant has nearly three times as many turnovers (8) than he does assists (3). Those are awful numbers for any guard, whether he?s a one or a two.

It?s just one man?s opinion, but if I had to project how we?ll rank those first five picks at the end of their careers, it would go like this:

1. Greg Oden (assuming he can avoid more injury problems)

2. Mike Conley

3. Yi Jianlin

4. Kevin Durant

5. Al Horford

ProBasketballNews.com - The voice of pro basketball

Conley hurt again last night

Already playing without Pau Gasol (back) and Stromile Swift (ankle), the night got worse when rookie point guard Mike Conley left grimacing in pain after suffering a right chest/rib contusion no sooner than the third period began. Conley caught an in-bounds pass after Washington scored, turned to spring downcourt and slammed into a defender.

Afterward, Conley appeared to be in bad shape given the impact had a whiplash effect. Trainer Drew Graham practically put on Conley's jeans.

"It feels horrible," said Conley, who struggled to talk. "I'm in a lot of pain."

X-rays were negative, but Lowry replaced Conley with 11:04 left in the third and finished the game.

Griz start slowly, fall to Wizards : Grizzlies : Commercial Appeal

[Jake]

I thought he left OSU a year too soon but it appears I was wrong.

Sure wish he would've stayed one more year but he'll always be a Buckeye.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Conley was inactive last night because of a right chest contusion.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

? Former Ohio State player Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies will play in the rookie challenge Feb. 15 during All-Star weekend in New Orleans.

[Buckskin86]

Grizzlies rookie G Mike Conley, former Lawrence North High School star, returned to action Friday after missing the past five games with a bruised chest.

Heat welcome Marion, Banks | IndyStar.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Rudy Gay scored 26 points for Memphis, which has lost six straight and eight in a row on the road. Mike Miller scored 18 and Mike Conley 16 for the Grizzlies, who never led but trailed only 87-84 early in the fourth quarter.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Memphis, TN -- (Sports Network) - Hakim Warrick scored 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, both season-highs, to lead the Memphis Grizzlies in a 107-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings at FedExForum.

Rudy Gay poured in 21 points for the Grizzlies, who put the brakes on a six- game skid and recorded a win for the first time since trading Pau Gasol to the Lakers on Feb. 1. Juan Carlos Navarro added 19 points, while Mike Miller gave 17 and 10 boards. Darko Milicic tallied 14 points and eight rebounds, and Mike Conley contributed 11 points.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Grizzlies limp into All-Star break with 102-88 loss to 76ers

Sixers attack Griz defense and turn game into dunk-a-thon

By Marlon W. Morgan (Contact)
Originally published 10:58 p.m., February 13, 2008
Updated 11:02 p.m., February 13, 2008
PHILADELPHIA -- It was a night that would have made Julius 'Dr. J' Erving proud.
Outfitted in their throwback jerseys honoring the 25th anniversary of the Philadelphia 76ers 1982-83 NBA championship team, the current Sixers held a game-long dunk party at the expense of the Grizzlies. And much like that Philadelphia team of the 1980s, the Sixers rolled to a relatively easy 102-88 win, their fifth straight, in front of 12,026 at Wachovia Center Wednesday night.

''We came out a little dead and weren't aggressive,'' said rookie starter Mike Conley, who was held scoreless with just one assist in just nine minutes of play. ''Coach put the guys off the bench in and they did a lot better job of pushing the tempo and being more aggressive. That's why he stuck with them, and rightfully so because they were playing the best basketball. We needed that energy at the beginning of the game. We just didn't have it.''

[Buckskin86]

In the NBA Rookie game last night.....

Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, a Lawrence North High School graduate, added two points and eight assists for the rookies.

League tells Bryant he'll play; Kidd still on as a Net, for now | IndyStar.com

[BuckeyeMafia]

Well, I've heard about his starting, but I've yet to see him.

Hoping he comes on national tv soon.

[Buckskin86]

Transition game
Mike Conley Jr. is enjoying the NBA life, but it hasn't been an easy adjustment
Sunday, February 24, 2008
By Rob Oller
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

In the garage of his Memphis home rest a Range Rover and Cadillac CTS -- more than $100,000 worth of supercharged horsepower encased in shiny steel, complete with iPod connectivity, ambient interior lighting and lateral bolstering in ergonomic premium leather seats.

Mike Conley Jr. travels to basketball practice in stylish ease and comfort. It's his journey from fun-loving college kid to serious NBA rookie where the ride gets bumpy for the Memphis Grizzlies starting point guard.

Know this first and foremost: Conley wouldn't change a thing if he had to do it over again. Well, maybe just one. Winning a national championship last season as an Ohio State freshman would have been the perfect launching point for his NBA career.

"But I don't regret coming to the NBA because I feel I belong here," he said last week.

"It's crazy ... if Ron Lewis doesn't hit that shot, I probably wouldn't be here right now," Conley said.

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Transition game