Mike Conley has made his mark as a pass-first point guard since arriving in Minnesota. He’s unlocked Rudy Gobert, calmed the game down whenever it has become erratic, and created opportunities for his star-studded surrounding cast. However, Chris Finch has made it a priority for Conley to become a more aggressive player on offense. It’s a challenge Conley has taken on seamlessly.
The offense has needed an extra spark with Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards out. The pressure Conley has put on defenses lately has allowed guys like Troy Brown Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to make an impact with increased minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns tends not to force the issue when Conley is on the court and Gobert is in fewer awkward positions. Finch has labeled Conley a “connective tissue” for a reason. He has proven to be a vital asset in Minnesota’s 14-4 start.
In the November 26 game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Finch’s desire for Conley to take on more of a scoring role came to fruition. Conley made 55% of his field goal attempts and converted six of his nine three-point attempts. Conley still set up his teammates with a season-high 10 assists on the night. Conley’s showing indicates how his aggressiveness keeps defenses honest when dealing with a Conley-Edwards-McDaniels-Towns-Gobert lineup. In his postgame interview, Conley said he felt Finch’s game plan was geared towards him early on.
“I could tell from the beginning of the game he [Finch] designed the plays for me specifically,” Conley said. “I think we’re a better team when I’m being aggressive.”
Conley also made it clear that just because a play is designed for him doesn’t mean he will shoot the ball. He’s always been the type of player to make the play in front of him, hence his stellar assist-to-turnover ratio. Even if Conley doesn’t take the shot, the defense is under constant pressure to react, which leads to open looks. There’s a reason why Conley is ranked 14th in the NBA in plus-minus.
The Wolves have been generating good looks lately, even if they don’t go in. For example, Conley got good looks in the November 28 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder and only made 3 of 14 attempts. Towns and Edwards also were inefficient in the 106-103 win. Eventually, the Wolves found a rhythm and won a close one against a tough team. Conley’s ability to remain an offensive threat has contributed to the Wolves never really being out of games this season, which bodes well for a team with championship aspirations.
An underrated but essential part of having someone like Conley is his basketball intelligence, which also translates to the defensive side of the floor. With the exception of the November 30 game against the Utah Jazz, Conley has rarely found himself in foul trouble. He’s adept at defending without fouling. While he may not get the praise for it, Conley contributes as much defensively as anyone else on Minnesota’s No. 1 ranked defense. His availability on the court has been much needed for a team that lacks depth at point guard.
The hope is for Conley to get back on track with his shooting percentages. He’s been inconsistent in the last few games. But once he finds his balance, teams will have to really dig deep to find ways to guard a multifaceted Wolves team. For a player of Conley’s caliber, it’s reasonable to assume shots will soon start falling for the 36-year-old veteran.