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A potential Memphis Grizzlies playoff run was ended in the first round at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 4-0 sweep.
The days of a long Grizzlies playoff run or a possible championship will have to wait. For now, fans can still find rooting interests in players who are connected or familiar to Memphis.
Four teams remain in the NBA playoffs. The Western Conference finals begin May 20 between the Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, with the Eastern Conference finals starting May 21 between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.
Memphis is known as a basketball city. There have been years when the city randomly is near the top of broadcast viewership ratings for the NBA Finals despite the Grizzlies never making it that far.
Here are four players with Memphis ties who have a chance to win an NBA championship.
Mike Conley is the most notable name with Grizzlies ties remaining in the NBA playoffs. Conley remains the franchise leader in games played, points and steals, among other statistics. He played for Memphis from 2008-19.
Conley came off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves seven times this season. That was the most since his rookie season.
However, the 37-year old vet has been a steady presence during the playoff run. Many Grizzlies fans were elated to see Marc Gasol win a championship ring in Toronto, and now it may be Conley’s turn.
Only one other former Grizzlies player remains in the postseason. Delon Wright had a short stay as the Grizzlies’ point guard in 2019, but it was the best stretch of his career. Wright averaged 12.2 points while playing 30.8 minutes per game in 26 appearances.
Wright is currently out of the New York Knicks rotation. Most of his postseason time has come in mop-up duty when the game is essentially decided.
There’s also a former Memphis Tigers player suiting up for the Knicks.
Precious Achiuwa has played sparingly as the third center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. Unless those two are in foul trouble, Achiuwa won’t see much time.
The 6-foot-8 forward spent one season with the Tigers before becoming a first-round pick in 2020. He was named American Athletic Conference Player of the Year after averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
TIGERS UPDATES: Memphis basketball mailbag: Frontcourt help on way? Also, schedule talk, Curtis Givens III update
Backup Knicks point guard Cameron Payne is also holding it down for Memphis. Payne prepped at Lausanne Collegiate School before attending Murray State University and becoming a first-round pick.
Payne is a key member of the Knicks rotation. He backs up star point guard Jalen Brunson.
Payne averaged 6.9 points per game in the regular season.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why Memphis Grizzlies fans should root for Mike Conley in NBA playoffs
Continue reading...
The days of a long Grizzlies playoff run or a possible championship will have to wait. For now, fans can still find rooting interests in players who are connected or familiar to Memphis.
Four teams remain in the NBA playoffs. The Western Conference finals begin May 20 between the Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, with the Eastern Conference finals starting May 21 between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.
Memphis is known as a basketball city. There have been years when the city randomly is near the top of broadcast viewership ratings for the NBA Finals despite the Grizzlies never making it that far.
Here are four players with Memphis ties who have a chance to win an NBA championship.
Former Memphis Grizzlies
Mike Conley is the most notable name with Grizzlies ties remaining in the NBA playoffs. Conley remains the franchise leader in games played, points and steals, among other statistics. He played for Memphis from 2008-19.
Conley came off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves seven times this season. That was the most since his rookie season.
However, the 37-year old vet has been a steady presence during the playoff run. Many Grizzlies fans were elated to see Marc Gasol win a championship ring in Toronto, and now it may be Conley’s turn.
Only one other former Grizzlies player remains in the postseason. Delon Wright had a short stay as the Grizzlies’ point guard in 2019, but it was the best stretch of his career. Wright averaged 12.2 points while playing 30.8 minutes per game in 26 appearances.
Wright is currently out of the New York Knicks rotation. Most of his postseason time has come in mop-up duty when the game is essentially decided.
Former Memphis Tigers
There’s also a former Memphis Tigers player suiting up for the Knicks.
Precious Achiuwa has played sparingly as the third center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. Unless those two are in foul trouble, Achiuwa won’t see much time.
The 6-foot-8 forward spent one season with the Tigers before becoming a first-round pick in 2020. He was named American Athletic Conference Player of the Year after averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
TIGERS UPDATES: Memphis basketball mailbag: Frontcourt help on way? Also, schedule talk, Curtis Givens III update
Memphis natives
Backup Knicks point guard Cameron Payne is also holding it down for Memphis. Payne prepped at Lausanne Collegiate School before attending Murray State University and becoming a first-round pick.
Payne is a key member of the Knicks rotation. He backs up star point guard Jalen Brunson.
Payne averaged 6.9 points per game in the regular season.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why Memphis Grizzlies fans should root for Mike Conley in NBA playoffs
Continue reading...
