Tag: Mike Conley Jr.

Former Ohio State point guard, Mike Conley Jr named first time NBA All-Star

Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, Jr. was named to his first NBA All-Star team this week. It was Long overdue.

Can you believe it’s already been 14 years since Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. led the Ohio State basketball team to the national title game as college freshmen? Oden of course was the biggest name in college basketball and eventual No. 1 NBA draft pick in 2007, but his career stalled after multiple injuries.

Conley on the other hand was the No. 4 pick of the Memphis Grizzlies in that draft and has gone on to have a very solid NBA career over the last 14 seasons. It is a career that has seen him average 15.9 points per game with another 5.6 assists per game.

After 14 years in the league, Mike Conley Jr. is making his first NBA All-Star appearance. It has been reported that Conley will replace Devin Booker who is dealing with an ankle injury pending medical clearance.

Through 29 games this year, the Utah Jazz guard is averaging 16.1 points per game, 5.7 assists, and 1.4 steals and it’s a well-deserved honor and one that has probably come later than it should have.

Former Ohio State teammate, Mark Titus, probably said it best in a Twitter post.

“NBA All-Star Mike Conley hasn’t been the “best” player on any team he’s been on since at least 7th grade, and he’s never fully gotten his due because of it. Yet he’s the almost always his team’s MVP. Best teammate I’ve ever had and unbelievable human being. Could’t be happier for him.” Titus wrote.

We agree and feel the same. We couldn’t be happier for the former Buckeye point guard who gave us so many memories in a magical 2006-2007 run. Congratulations Mike Conley Jr. – NBA All-Star.

 

Ohio State basketball NCAA Tournament History

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Jozy Altidore, Donovan Mitchell call for Real Salt Lake owner to sell team after controversial comments

“He needs to sell the team,” said Jozy Altidore. “I’m involved in a group that’s ready to purchase it. Time for change.”

Real Salt Lake was one of the MLS teams that refused to play on Wednesday night, part of a boycott that crossed leagues, including NBA, WNBA, and MLB. Their refusal to play stemmed as a response to the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot in the back seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

On Thursday, Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen gave an interview to a local radio show in which he said the team’s refusal to play showed “disrespect [that] was profound to me, personally.”

He went on to say that “it’s taken a lot of wind out of my sails on how much I want to invest in the team…buying players and building the team.”

Hansen also seemed to suggest that the protest would lead to him not inviting fans back to the stadium, and would force him to furlough and fire people … again. (He already furloughed staff during the start of the pandemic.)

Pro athletes across Utah and the rest of MLS spoke out quickly and forcefully against Hansen.

Perhaps most stunningly, Toronto FC and USMNT striker Jozy Altidore said that if Hansen wasn’t willing to invest in the team, he had an ownership group ready to buy the team … now.

Altidore wasn’t the only professional athlete to speak out against Hansen. Both Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley Jr. of the Utah Jazz tweeted about it, with Mitchell reiterating that Hansen should sell the team.

MLS may find itself in a tough position here. Hansen has owned the team since 2013, and while I doubt they’d push him out after one interview, if he’s publicly posturing that he will not invest in the team nor try to make them better, that’s a problem for the product they’re trying to put out.

As to whether or not Altidore has a group ready to buy an MLS side, I wouldn’t doubt it. We can argue about MLS’ long term longevity, but people with money want in on this league while it’s still growing.

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Former Ohio State guard Mike Conley, Jr. leaves NBA bubble for birth of son

Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, Jr. has left the NBA bubble for the birth of his third son in Columbus, Ohio.

Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, Jr., has left the NBA bubble, but for a very, very good reason.

According to an announcement from the Jazz, Conley left the team and the NBA bubble in Orlando to return to Columbus, Ohio for the birth of his third son. It comes on the doorstep of the Jazz’s first-round playoff game between the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

“My first reaction is my best wishes to Mike Conley and his family. I hope everything goes well,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “… If Mike Conley is not available for Game 1, whatever it is, I am sure other guys will step up. We were able to go into Utah this year and win with seven guys. I don’t buy into that too much. If Mike Conley is not available, that means more Donovan Mitchell, who is an all-NBA-caliber player.”

According to sources cited by ESPN, Conley is supposed to rejoin the team in the very near future back in Orlando. If he were to do that, he would have to follow quarantine guidelines. If he is gone less than seven days and tests negative each day, he must quarantine for four days before rejoining the team.

Either way, congratulations are in order for the former Buckeye star. Here’s to a wonderful few days at home loving on his new child, and a safe return to the league’s bubble whenever that is scheduled to occur.

Former Ohio State guard Mike Conley wins first ever NBA H-O-R-S-E Challenge

Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, Jr took home the first-ever NBA H-O-R-S-E challenge title.

It’s all over except for the hugs and fist bumps. Former Ohio State point guard Mike Conley has won the first-ever NBA H-O-R-S-E challenge organized by ESPN.

Conley breezed through the first match against Tamika Catchings — getting just one letter Sunday to make it to the semifinals. Then Thursday, he beat five-time NBA All-Star Chauncey Billups in the semifinals H-O to H-O-R-S-E to set up the final against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

While shooting in his home gym (which is pretty spectacular by the way), Conley used both hands and some trick shots to beat LaVine by the same H-O to H-O-R-S-E score to take home the title.

You can watch the final shot from behind the backboard that sealed it by clicking on the below video shared by the official Twitter feed of the NBA.

Who knows if we’ll see this competition again, but for now, a former Buckeye is on top. Well done Conley.

 

Former Ohio State guard Mike Conley advances in ESPN’s H-O-R-S-E competition

Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley beat Tamika Catchings to advance to the semis of ESPN’s H-O-R-S-E competition.

And you thought there were no live sports on television. In a nod to trying to get something for sports fans to watch, ESPN has organized a H-O-R-S-E competition between former and current NBA and WNBA stars. There are eight contestants, one of which being former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz star Mike Conley, Jr.

The first round of the much-anticipated tournament tipped off Sunday night, and Conely was scheduled to go against WNBA Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings.

There were some built-in disadvantages for Catchings. Not only did she have to shoot outdoors in the elements of Indiana while Conley got the benefit of shooting in a climate-controlled indoor court, it’s also known that the former Buckeye guard can use both hands equally.

Either way, the contest didn’t last long. Conley went up early and took care of business rather easily with shots with his “weak” hand, and some behind the backboard fun to dispose of Catchings with a final tally of H to H-O-R-S-E.

With the win, Conley advances to the semifinal round against Chauncy Billups who knocked out Trae Young. The semifinals and finals are set for this Thursday at 9 and 11 PM.

In case you missed some of the action, here’s a brief recap courtesy of ESPN video.

 

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Former Ohio State guard Mike Conley to participate in NBA virtual H-O-R-S-E competition

Former Ohio State and current Jazz guard Mike Conley, Jr. has been confirmed as a participant in ESPN’s NBA H-O-R-S-E contest.

The absence of live sports on television has made everyone go a little stir crazy. Now ESPN and former Buckeye point guard Mike Conley are here to help.

You’ve likely heard the rumors about the potential of a H-O-R-S-E game from various basketball personalities, and it now is locked in. Eight participants will compete virtually, recorded from their own locations in a single-elimination tournament format starting Sunday on ESPN.

And yes, one of those contestants was confirmed to be Mike Conley, Jr. His first-round opponent Sunday will be WNBA Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings. The other contestants include Chauncey Billups, Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Paul Pierce, Chris Paul, and Allie Quigley.

Tune in Sunday for the first-round games, then come back on Thursday at 9 PM Eastern for the semifinals and finals.

Former Ohio State guard Mike Conley on list of 44 finalists for USA Olympic team

Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, Jr is 1 of 44 finalists to make the Team USA Basketball roster for the Olympics.

It may be February, but the Summer Olympics in Tokyo will be here before the Michigan football team gets overhyped yet again — or heck, who knows, maybe around the same time.

In that vein, the folks that run these sorts of things are starting to put together the USA Basketball Team. USA Basketball announced the 44 finalists that will compete for a spot on the team vying for gold in Japan, and there’s a former Ohio State player on the list.

That player is none other than Mike Conley, Jr who is now with the Utah Jazz after spending almost his entire career with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Conley, left Ohio State after one season in Columbus and was drafted as the fourth overall pick of the NBA Draft in 2007. He quickly became one of the better point guards in the league and has had a long and distinguished twelve-year career. He will have his number retired by the Grizzlies after being traded away to Utah last summer.

The former Buckeye guard has done some pretty cool things in his career. He has won an Indiana state basketball championship with another former OSU teammate, Greg Oden. He’s also appeared in a Final Four and national title game with Ohio State in 2007. Now, he has a shot to do something not many have an opportunity for, and that’s to play on the USA Basketball team in the Olympics.

Only twelve players will make the final roster, so the competition and decisions head coach Gregg Popovich has to make will be brutal.

Good luck to Conley as he tries for a very, very cool accomplishment and experience.

Utah Jazz at Golden State Warriors odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Utah Jazz at Golden State Warriors sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Utah Jazz (30-13) and Golden State Warriors (10-35) will do battle at the Chase Center in San Francisco at 10 p.m. ET. We analyze the Jazz-Warriors odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Jazz at Warriors: Key injuries

Warriors

  • PG Stephen Curry (hand) out
  • SG Jacob Evans (concussion) questionable
  • PF Kevon Looney (abdominal) out
  • SF Glenn Robinson III (ankle) probable
  • SG Klay Thompson (knee) out

Jazz at Warriors: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Jazz 117, Warriors 102

Moneyline (ML)

The Jazz (-455) are just too expensive, as there is no way to justify risking more than four and a half times your potential investment. AVOID. There just isn’t enough value in backing Utah with a $10 bet returning a profit of only $2.20 with an outright victory. The Warriors are +340.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The JAZZ (-9.5, -106) have gotten PG Mike Conley Jr. back from injury, and he has been folded into the offense nicely. They’re second in the Northwest Division and they’re running like a finely tuned machine. The Warriors (+9.5, -115) … not so much. They’re banged up, and not playing well. It’s a far cry from the better part of the last decade where they have been championship caliber.

Utah is 5-1 ATS in the past seven as a favorite, and 7-2 ATS in the past nine on the road while cashing in 16 of the past 21 overall. Golden State has been better against the number lately, but is 2-7 ATS in the past nine meetings with Utah and 1-6 ATS in the past seven in the Bay Area against the Jazz.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 216.5 (-110) is the lean, although the trends are all over the board. I expect the Jazz to win this one rather handily, although it might not be until the final minute before this one inches across the line. I wouldn’t get too carried away betting the total in this one.

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