PORTLAND, Ore. — There was a smattering of applause and as the PA announced the name of the visiting 6-foot guard out of Ohio State. It was the 837th Mike Conley had heard some version of that introduction during his 13 NBA seasons. But after a monthlong absence and a six-game rehab stint coming off the bench, the Utah Jazz point guard was surely glad to hear it again.
“I think it’s just time for me to get back to doing what I do,” Conley said before tipoff Saturday.
And early on Conley certainly looked back: back on the court, back in the starting lineup, back to looking like the star point guard the Jazz traded for last summer.