Scarlet Sunrise: Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves make Western Conference Finals

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Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves make Western Conference Finals

The Denver Nuggets aren’t repeating as NBA champions this season. The Minnesota Timberwolves, including former Ohio State point guard Mike Conley, weren’t going to let that happen.

Instead, after a 98-90 Game 7 victory, the Timberwolves are headed to their first Western Conference Finals since the 2003-04 season.

In other words, it’s been two decades since Minnesota has been on the doorstep of the NBA Finals.

And Conley, for the first time in his career, is a Game 7 winner.

Western Conference Finals Bound.

THE @mconley11 EFFECT 🗣️ #GoBucks https://t.co/93h5SV9lxa

— Ohio State Hoops 🌰 (@OhioStateHoops) May 20, 2024

The Timberwolves are only here because they orchestrated the largest Game 7, second-half comeback in NBA playoff history. Trailing the 2-seed Nuggets by 15 points at halftime, Minnesota clawed its way back, in part thanks to four-time All-Star Karl Anthony-Towns, who turned in 23 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and one block.

A 32-9 run that started in the third quarter and trickled into the fourth marked the turning point. When that surge began, the Timberwolves were actually down by 20 points. By the time it ended, they were up by three points.

During that span, Conley chipped in three points, three rebounds and an assist. He rounded out the night with 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. All three of his field goals were 3-pointers.

Conley is in his 17th NBA season. He’s played 1,101 regular season games — all but 37 of which he’s started — and has averaged 14.4 points, 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals per outing along the way. He previously reached the Western Conference Finals with the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2012-13 season. That’s the Grizzlies’ lone conference finals appearance all-time. Conley made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team that year and averaged 14.6 points, 6.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game.

Flash forward to 2023-24, and the now-36-year-old Conley averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game during the regular season. The former one-and-done Ohio State guard was named the NBA’s Teammate of the Year this season for the second time in his career.

The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award recognizes a player who is considered the most selfless teammate on and off the court as well as a role model for others on his team.

Before he was taken No. 4 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies, Conley became Ohio State’s all-time, single-season record holder for assists (238). He also set the program’s freshman, single-season record for steals (87) in 2006-07.

Conley and the 3-seed Timberwolves will face the 5-seed Dallas Mavericks with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. Conley hasn’t won an NBA championship, and neither have the Timberwolves.

In-house players who will benefit most from Ohio State transfer additions

Ohio State men’s basketball has one scholarship spot remaining, but the Buckeyes’ 2024-25 roster is mostly set. With that in mind, Lettermen Row looked at the four transfer additions head coach Jake Diebler and his staff have already made this offseason and determined which in-house Ohio State players will benefit the most from those portal newcomers.

The obvious choice is point guard Bruce Thornton, a two-time captain and last season’s leading scorer who will once again pilot the Buckeyes.

But who else, and why?

Find out here.

Buckeye Bits: Ohio State recruiting takeaways as Buckeyes enter final week of contact period

The spring contact period is nearing its conclusion. That means Ohio State football coaches can be out on the road visiting prospects for only a few more days.

May 25 is when the period officially wraps. That will be followed by a three-day dead period.

In the meantime, Lettermen Row is evaluating what the Buckeyes have accomplished on the trail as well as what boxes they still need to check off by that Saturday deadline.

Check it out here.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 103 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 194 days

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