Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley has never gone this deep in his long NBA career — Andscape

DALLAS – Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. was thrilled to lastly see the No. 7 written within the prime proper nook of the dry-erase white board within the visiting locker room at American Airways Middle on Tuesday evening.

That No. 7 signified what number of wins the Timberwolves wanted to assert a first-ever NBA championship. That replace got here after Minnesota staved off elimination with a 105-100 victory in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks in Recreation 4 of the Western Convention finals after falling behind 3-0 within the best-of-seven sequence. To advance, the Timberwolves have to make turn out to be the primary staff in NBA historical past to beat a 3-0 playoff deficit.

Contemplating this was the primary convention finals win of Conley’s profession and the closest he’s ever been to the Finals in 17 seasons, he’s embraced going through the longest of odds.

“That is the most important recreation I’ve had in my profession,” mentioned Conley, 36, to Andscape after Recreation 4. “The subsequent recreation is the most important recreation I’ve had in my profession. It’s the most important win. Actually, it’s. Should you take a look at the board and see the 7 up there, that’s what number of video games we now have left to win. That’s what number of we’re away from a hoop.

“We have been simply in coaching camp. Now, we now have that No. 7 up there. To me, it’s nothing larger than that. Every recreation is larger and greater.”

Conley is the twelfth oldest participant in an NBA of roughly 450 gamers. Timberwolves All-Star guard Anthony Edwards was 6 years previous when Conley made his NBA debut for the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 7, 2007. The typical age on Minnesota’s roster in 26.3 years previous and the second-oldest participant on the staff, Rudy Gobert, is six years youthful than Conley.

So, what’s it like for Conley, a married father of three boys, to play with all these youthful guys in a younger NBA?

“I’m [an OG] to the staff. Possibly even to the league. However not personally,” Conley mentioned. “I nonetheless really feel like I’m a youthful man working round with these guys and having a very good time and loving the sport. So, my teammates are undoubtedly holding me younger.”

The comedic Edwards uniquely described the Recreation 4 efficiency of Conley whereas additionally providing appreciation and respect. The person he affectionately calls “Mike-Mike” and “OG” had 14 factors, seven assists, zero turnovers and 4 steals in 34 minutes on Tuesday.

“Mike-Mike is previous as [expletive]. And he was getting downhill laying the ball up. So, shout out to Mike-Mike,” Edwards, 22, mentioned after Recreation 4 in his postgame press convention. “And he’s coming in right here with these clown pants on. So, ya’ll will see him in a minute. That’s my OG. That’s my level guard. And I couldn’t ask nothing extra from him. So, thanks Mike Conley.”

Conley described the Recreation 4 win as the best of his NBA profession. Why?

Properly, it was the primary time the 2021 NBA All-Star ever gained a recreation within the convention finals. Conley has performed in 1,011 NBA regular-season video games and 91 postseason video games. The final and solely different time he performed within the convention finals was in 2013 with a younger Grizzlies staff on the age of 26. “A troublesome San Antonio Spurs staff” swept Conley and the Grizzlies in 4 video games in 2013. The Grizzlies haven’t been to the Western Convention finals since.

Being part of that 2012-13 Grizzlies staff gave him perception into what it’s like being a younger participant within the playoffs on the Timberwolves now. Conley mentioned he didn’t obtain any sage recommendation within the playoffs with Memphis like he is ready to give now.

“The vast majority of us have been younger in 2013,” Conley mentioned. “Tayshaun Prince was most likely the one vet we had that was older. Wanting again at it, you could possibly have instructed me we have been going to be again the following yr and the yr after that. We have been solely going to get higher from there.

“However you by no means know what occurs. We’re fired our coach. We acquired a brand new coach. Guys acquired traded. Guys acquired signed. Guys acquired damage. Seizing the second is actual.”

Conley is finishing the primary yr of a two-year, $20.7 million contract. Usually instances, older NBA gamers within the ultimate yr of their contracts are dangled as engaging commerce bait attributable to their expiring deal. The Timberwolves, nonetheless, can’t afford to lose their humble elder statesman, ground basic, and calm and funky captain in any storm.

Whether or not in Recreation 5 or subsequent season, Conley seems priceless for a Timberwolves franchise whose three stars — Edwards, Gobert and Karl-Anthony Cities — sometimes get the headlines. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch instructed Andcape that Conley “means every thing” to the franchise.

“I can’t state how necessary he’s been for every thing,” Finch mentioned. “An grownup within the room. He introduced a ready-made reference to Rudy. He’s at all times whispering in Ant’s ear. And when KAT acquired damage, he actually upped his scoring as a result of we would have liked it. Now he has turn out to be an necessary scorer for us.

“For a lot of the season, he was simply attempting to make issues occur. After which he’s truly considered one of our greatest closing choices with the ball in his hand. He makes loads of proper performs. However he does an awesome job of serving to Ant in these conditions, too. However yeah, I want we had him when he was 25.”

Mentioned Gobert: “He means a lot. His maturity. His management. The way in which he competes and performs, it’s contagious. The younger guys watch Mike, and he’s 36 and he’s large on each play.”

In case you have been questioning, Conley doesn’t play to retire anytime quickly. In actual fact, enjoying 20-plus seasons is a objective. This mindset got here after taking recommendation from ex-Grizzlies teammate Vince Carter. The soon-to-be Corridor of Famer introduced his retirement in 2020 on the age of 43 following 22 NBA seasons.

“One piece of recommendation I acquired from Vince Carter was to not put a quantity on it, man. Go till you may’t,” Conley mentioned. “And clearly, I’d like to attain sure milestones. You wish to get to twenty (seasons). Should you’re this shut, why not? However on the similar time, you simply attempt to get as many as you may.”

Conley additionally has a “why not” method to his Timberwolves needing to win 4 consecutive video games to earn a Finals berth. That perception comes from the whole margin of victory within the aggressive West finals in opposition to Dallas being a mixed 18 factors, with every recreation determined by single digits, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data. The Timberwolves at the moment are 3-0 when going through elimination, together with beating the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets in Video games 6 and seven of the Western Convention semifinals. Conley believes that the Timberwolves haven’t performed one stable all-around recreation within the Western Convention finals.

Conley has instructed Edwards and Cities that “that is our second.” Greater than something, Conley believes Minnesota, respectfully, is simply the higher staff. Contemplating how far Conley has are available in his NBA profession, there isn’t a cause to cease believing till the Mavericks can show in any other case.

“It’s one recreation. Recreation 5 is Recreation 7,” Conley mentioned. “That is all we acquired. Hold our mentality like that. Don’t take a look at the circus that surrounds us and all of the stuff you been listening to. Hold the religion greater than something. The testomony with the fellows tonight is that we really didn’t consider this was our final recreation …

“This doesn’t come round fairly often. So, while you get this opportunity, give every thing you bought. Don’t be afraid to fail.”