Mike Conley Has Overcome His Achilles Injury

Mike Conley returned to game action for the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, and he proved that he’s overcome his Achilles injury.

Mike Conley was listed as questionable for the Memphis Grizzlies‘ Martin Luther King Day matinee due to an Achilles injury that kept him out for six games. Conley didn’t disappoint in his return to action in a 101-99 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Conley scored 15 points and had 10 assists, notching his third double-double of the season. Conley looked good early and showcased his athleticism. The Grizzlies will happily welcome his return.

Head coach Dave Joerger did not put a minutes limit on Conley. He played 27 minutes in his return on Monday, which is slightly less than his 31.9 minutes per game season average.

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Joerger was cautious early with Conley’s minutes, and gave him rest after his first four minutes in the game. That allowed Conley to come back stronger in the second quarter, where he connected on back-to-back three-pointers.

Conley shot the ball well, going 6-for-12 from the field. He was even better from long range, where he shot 3-for-5. His shooting performance comes as a slight surprise since Conley is shooting a career-worst 40.6 percent from the field this season. He also has a 52.0 true shooting percentage, which is the worst since he took a leap in the 2012-13 season.

While Conley was playing, USA basketball announced their 30 finalists for the 2016 Olympic team and Conley is among the 30. Conley’s play certainly justifies his nomination.

Conley would make a great choice for USA Basketball. His ability to distribute the ball like he has done with the Grizzlies would allow the country’s best scorers to be set-up to drive or knock down three-pointers. Conley can also use his athleticism to knock down three-pointers or drive with the pick-and-roll game.

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Conley, 28, has a 22.8 usage rate, but when he has the ball in his hands he savors every possession. Conley has a 32.6 assist percentage, which is his career best. What is most impressive is also his career-best 9.5 turnover rate. He has become one of the best distributors in the game.

Conley continues to be effective and make the Grizzlies better on the offensive end. He has an OBPM of 3.2 and also has 2.3 offensive win shares. But his defense has struggled this season.

He has a DBPM of -1.7, which is only the worst of his career after his rookie season. He is on pace to have 1.8 defensive win shares, which would be the third-lowest of his career and his worst since the 2009-10 season.

Conley’s performance coming back from injury could be a sign of things to come. If Conley can consistently improve his jump shot, he will be even more effective on the offensive end.

The Western Conference is dominated by point guards, such as MVP Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. For the Grizzlies (24-19) to have playoff success, they will need Conley to improve on the defensive end.

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The good news for the Grizzlies is that Conley looks healthy coming off of an Achilles injury that kept him out for six games. With Conley at point guard, the Grizzlies will be one of the toughest teams to defend because of his ability to take care of the basketball.