Conley Frustrated By Hamstring Injury Setback

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Mike Conley was not shy about the frustration he’s felt regarding his ongoing hamstring injury. The Utah Jazz guard spoke about the injury for the first time in two weeks after missing the first four games of the team’s second-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Conley has also been ruled out of tonight’s game five, marking the fifth game he’s missed since June 2 when he reaggravated in the injury against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first quarter of game five of the Jazz opening-round series of the playoffs.

The injury originated in February in a road game against the Charlotte Hornets, causing Conley to miss six games. The guard reaggravated the injury again in April, causing him to miss nine games, before the second reaggravation against the Grizzlies.

“Firstly it’s very, very frustrating,” Conley said. “Very frustrating because I’ve worked so hard, especially in the last couple of months solely on taking care of my body.”

Mike Conley on his injury:

"Firstly it's very, very frustrating. Very frustrating because I've work so hard, especially in the last couple of months solely on taking care of my body."

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) June 16, 2021

Unfortunately for Conley and the Jazz, the rehab process didn’t go as planned, and the All-Star’s return has been delayed deeper into the playoffs.

“I had a small setback related to the hammy during that process,” Conley said. “So this is why it’s been extended a little bit longer than I know we all would like.”

The guard was hoping to return by game three in Los Angeles after the Jazz took a 2-0 lead in the series, but said the setback occurred before game two, adding uncertainty to his return.

“It was similar, but went down a little bit further,” Conley said of the injury expanding down his hamstring. “It just kind of stretched out a little bit longer range from just the spot that was originally initially sore.”

The Jazz lost games three and four in blowout fashion to the Clippers, evening the series at two games apiece. However, with Kawhi Leonard suffering an injury to his knee late in game four that will keep him out of game five and possibly beyond, the urgency to see Conley return may lessen if the Jazz can regain their series lead the short-handed Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss tonight's game five for the @LAClippers, and his status for the rest of the series against the @utahjazz is in doubt. (@AP)#TakeNote https://t.co/HQPF2VEdP9

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 16, 2021

If the Jazz do find themselves in need of added help against the Clippers, Conley said he may be available in future games.

“With the series as close as it is and as tight as it is, I think that [a return] this series is possible, depending on the situation, obviously,” the guard said, “I’ve played through a lot of things in my career and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.”