Mike Conley Reflects on Savoring Every Game in Return to Memphis

Mike Conley is playing with a different mindset these days.

The 38-year-old point guard returned to FedExForum on Saturday night, where he spent the first 12 years of his NBA career, and helped lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a dominant 131-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

After the game, Conley shared some powerful thoughts about what each opportunity to step on the court means to him at this stage of his career.

"Every game I play from here on out I think about is this my last game? I know I want to play more years but you know you just never know how things work. Injuries happen teams move on..." Conley said.

The win was significant for multiple reasons.

Conley came back to Memphis and helped Minnesota extend their winning streak to four games while the Grizzlies dropped their sixth straight contest.

The Timberwolves improved to 31-19 on the season and now sit in seventh place in the Western Conference, while Memphis fell to 18-29 and remains in 12th place as they deal with injuries and inconsistent play throughout the year.

Anthony Edwards led the way for Minnesota with 33 points, continuing his MVP-caliber campaign where he is averaging 29.3 points per game this season.

Julius Randle added 27 points and seven assists as the Timberwolves controlled the game from start to finish against a shorthanded Grizzlies squad that was missing several key players, including Ja Morant.

Mike Conley is now in his 19th NBA season and has averaged 4.6 points and 2.9 assists this year while embracing a reduced role off the bench.

While his numbers have declined from his prime years in Memphis, his presence in the locker room and on the court during crunch time remains valuable for a Timberwolves team with championship hopes.

His words after the Memphis game carried a weight that only comes from nearly two decades of professional basketball.

Conley was drafted fourth overall by the Grizzlies back in 2007 and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer before being traded to Utah in 2019.

He joined Minnesota in February 2023 and has been a steady voice for the young roster ever since.

The Timberwolves have been one of the hottest teams in the league since late November, and Conley's veteran leadership has played a role in keeping the group connected and focused through both wins and tough stretches.

Minnesota came into the Memphis game riding high after taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier in the week, and they carried that confidence into FedExForum where Edwards and Randle combined for 60 points.

The two teams will meet again on Monday night in Memphis for another matchup, giving Conley one more chance to soak in the atmosphere at the arena he once called home.

For a player thinking about every game as potentially his last, moments like these carry extra meaning.

The Timberwolves will look to keep their momentum rolling as they push toward the postseason while Conley savors every opportunity he gets to compete at the highest level.