Jazz's Mike Conley Ruled Out for Game 2 vs. Clippers with Hamstring Injury

Utah Jazz point guard Mike Conley will miss Game 2 of the team's second-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday because of his hamstring strain.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported the update.  

Conley doesn't get enough credit for helping guide the Jazz offense, which ranked third in the NBA in offensive efficiency during the 2020-21 regular season, per ESPN. He averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 threes and 1.4 steals across 51 appearances.

The 33-year-old Ohio State product aggravated a hamstring injury he's dealt with for much of the campaign during Game 5 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, and it forced him to miss the start of the Western Conference semifinals against the Clippers.

He sat out to rest the hamstring on multiple occasions during the stretch run of the regular season, but he's been unable to get all the way back to full strength.

Utah typically splits Conley's minutes between reserves Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson when the starter is sidelined, with star guard Donovan Mitchell also adding more ball-handling responsibilities.

Conley is often overlooked when it comes to analyzing the Jazz's success because of the presence of Mitchell and defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert, but the team's offense runs more fluidly when he's on the floor, so the health of his hamstring will be crucial throughout their playoff run.