Mike Conley is not having himself a good offensive start to the season.
Entering the Memphis Grizzlies’ Wednesday night loss to the Orlando Magic, which he did not partake in, he was shooting 36.8 percent from the floor overall, 47.4 percent inside three feet of the basket and 26.1 percent from beyond ar—all by far and way career lows.
Seven games usually isn’t enough to pound the panic button for superstars, but Conley is such a steadying force that it’s difficult not to worry.
That is, unless you’re the Grizzlies or Conley himself.
As the point guard said, per Grind City Media’s Michael Wallace:
“If I had been in one, I don’t recall it,” the Grizzlies’ catalyst said of his current slump on offense. “I don’t even think about it. I always just move on to the next game. You know, it’s tough. But tough times don’t last. I’ll get through it. I know my teammates will help me through it and it will turn around.”
Head coach David Fizdale also added the following:
“You see the shots he’s getting? Those are Mike Conley shots – those open threes, some of those layups,” Fizdale added. “I don’t think it’s anything systematically we have to do. I just think he’ll settle in and those shots will start falling for him. He’s uncharacteristically missing some free throws right now that he normally makes, but it’s a long season. I’m not worried about Mike at all. Once we move a little more into the season, he’s going to start hitting those.”
Giving Conley, 30, the benefit of the doubt is completely fair. He entered this season shooting 44.3 percent overall, 57.9 percent within three feet of the basket and 37.9 percent from deep. The latest returns represent an unfathomably stark downtick, suggesting that other factors are at play.
And they may be.
Conley, for one, missed the Magic game with a sore Achilles. If he’s been dealing with that all season, it could be impacting his shot. He’s also adjusting to a new-look supporting cast, which includes a host of other ball-handlers, such as Tyreke Evans and Mario Chalmers. His usage rate is hardly down, but adapting to key role players who prefer working with the ball takes time.
Through it all, the Grizzlies remain an offensive wash with Conley in the game, according to NBA.com. And knowing how inept they’ve been without him on the more glamorous end in years past, the fact that he isn’t statistically harming their offensive cause when in the lineup only speaks to his persisting importance—and, perhaps, his inevitable progressing toward the mean.
