Utah Jazz dud: Mike Conley
Can you imagine how scary this Jazz squad would be if all of their players lived up to expectations at once?
After a prolonged slump, it appears that Jordan Clarkson has found his rhythm. Unfortunately, it’s Mike Conley’s turn to struggle. He finished with 12 points on 4/13 shooting in this game. It marked the third consecutive game in which the veteran point guard shot under 40% from the field.
He’s a combined 4/18 from three-point range over that stretch. Conley’s three-point shooting is an essential part of his game. He doesn’t wow spectators with athleticism: his appeal lies in a combination of elite floor pacing and IQ.
The latter will never fail him, but if he can’t hit the three-ball, it won’t carry him either.
None of which is to ring the alarm bells. Conley is overwhelmingly likely to retain his form from distance. Slumps are an inevitable part of life in the NBA. With that said, the sooner Conley can start sinking his three-pointers again, the sooner the Jazz will be able to beat elite teams like the Golden State Warriors.
Utah Jazz fans shouldn’t get too down about losing this close contest. The Golden State Warriors are clearly one of the best teams in the NBA, and they were on the wrong end of a back-to-back. They’ll just need to come extra prepared the next time they do battle with this squad.