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Eric WoodyardESPN
Ahead of his first NBA playoff experience with the Utah Jazz, veteran point guard Mike Conley left the Orlando bubble on Sunday morning to return to Columbus, Ohio for the birth of his son, announced the team.
A source told ESPN that Conley is planning to join the Jazz at some point in the playoffs.
For approved departures from the NBA bubble, if a player leaves for less than seven days and tests negative each day they are not inside the bubble, they will need to quarantine for four days upon their return.
The Jazz will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round, with the first game set for 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday (ESPN).
“My first reaction is my best wishes to Mike Conley and his family. I hope everything goes well,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “… If Mike Conley isn’t available for Game 1 anyway, I’m sure other players will take over. We were able to go to Utah this year and win with seven. guys. I don’t accept that too. If Mike Conley isn’t available, that means more Donovan Mitchell, who is an NBA caliber player. “
Since the restart, Conley has averaged 18 points and 5 assists per game after struggling earlier in the season with his shot.
Utah also play without second-best scorer Bojan Bogdanovic, who has had surgery on his right wrist.
Jazz coach Quin Snyder said Conley, who spent his first 12 seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, was just starting to feel comfortable in his new situation after the league’s suspension due to the pandemic of coronavirus.
“Whenever you go through a change in any ability in life, there are challenges,” Snyder said after Saturday practice. “And Mike has probably gone through as many changes this offseason as anyone I’ve ever coached.
“Playing with new staff, playing in a new city, having been in Memphis your entire career, which has been a long and great career there,” Snyder added, “without starting over, but trying to deal with all of them. things that were New. “
ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.
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