The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to end their two-decade-long Western Conference Finals drought on Wednesday when they will face the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1. However, despite all the positives, a slight concern over the fitness of their veteran guard Mike Conley Jr. still looms large over the franchise.
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As per the NBA’s official injury report, the 36-year-old is still struggling with a right soleous strain. This muscle injury often leads to calf tightness and sharp pain, significantly limiting the patient’s mobility. Consequently, the Timberwolves star has been listed as ‘Questionable’ for the upcoming game.
The 2021 All-Star allegedly picked up this condition during the team’s semi-final series against the Denver Nuggets. While attempting a contested three-pointer during the final moments of Game 4, Conley seemed to have landed awkwardly on his heel. As a result, he was forced to limp off the court in the fourth quarter, worrying the fanbase.
This is where Mike Conley suffered the injury, per Chris Finch pic.twitter.com/eJ7O1ClivZ
— Jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) May 15, 2024
The ailment was initially bad enough to force Conley to miss Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets. However, he seems to have recovered well since then and played exceptionally well in the games he appeared in. And, it is important to note, he had been flagged as questionable ahead of those contests as well (Game 6 and Game 7 vs Nuggets).
So, the fans remain optimistic about his availability in the inaugural game of the Western Conference Finals. And much to their delight, the player has even hinted at the same ahead of the much-anticipated clash. Following the recent team practice session, Colney announced,
“It’s getting better. With these things, you play 38 minutes, it’s going to be sore for the next couple of days. If you get a lot of treatment, a lot of rest, like I’ve had over the last few days, it feels really good going into the game”.
This cheerful news will certainly come as music to the Timberwolves fans’ ears. After all, the energetic core of the roster depends heavily on the inputs of an experienced backcourt craftsman such as Conley. This is also reflected in the team’s unconvincing 3-3 record in the regular season and 0-1 run in the postseason without his service [per Statmuse].
So, the stage is now set for the Timberwolves to unleash their most potent display. Undoubtedly, the fans also demand nothing less than that from the team. All in all, the stage is now set for an exciting contest between the two rising giants of the conference.
