MEMPHIS – Mike Conley had a lot going on Friday.
He was starting his first game for the Timberwolves about 48 hours after the Wolves acquired him from Utah. He had just one shootaround's worth of familiarity with how the Wolves operate.
On top of all that, he was playing in Memphis against the Grizzlies, the franchise with whom he became a legend over 12 seasons, and in the arena that has his picture hanging in multiple places around its concourses. Also, back on his team was his old running mate with the Jazz, Rudy Gobert. He even said he forgot Karl-Anthony Towns was out injured for the Wolves.
Needless to say, Conley said it was a "weird" and "fun" night that featured plenty of familiar faces and faces that will become familiar as his new team lost 128-107 to the Grizzlies.
"You look up and I see guys, not just Rudy, on the staff that I know, guys that have been in Utah, guys that coached with me in Memphis. It's like I just saw them yesterday," Conley said. "And then I go out there and I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just confused at the same time. Then you add the element of being back in Memphis. Every time I come back to Memphis, it always brings chills."
The Wolves' issues Friday extended beyond Conley's lack of knowledge with what the Wolves were running.
The Wolves lamented the officiating, specifically that newly minted All-Star Anthony Edwards didn't get an All-Star whistle and shoot a single free throw despite attacking the rim consistently. He finished with 17 points on 8-for-19 shooting. That's not why they ultimately lost, however.
Coach Chris Finch said their point of attack defense was not where it needed to be as Memphis scored 72 points in the paint and shot 58%.
The Wolves couldn't contain Ja Morant, who sliced and diced them all night for 32 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Conley played 26 minutes in his debut and scored nine points to go with three assists.
"It was more a feel-out game than anything," Conley said. "As a point guard going to a new team, kind of have a lot to grasp, especially guys' games and how they like to play. I got a little glimpse of that. I told the guys we're just going to keep getting better. First night out for me and all of us together trying to figure it out."
This was the necessary, if awkward, first step in this new version of the Wolves coming together with the 35-year-old Conley, who the team is asking to facilitate the offense in a different way than D'Angelo Russell and lead some of the younger players on the team.
When talking about the youth on the team, Conley said one of the first things Edwards asked him was "You play Call of Duty?" Conley does, by the way. They will be playing some missions together when the team heads to Dallas.
"Hopefully my steady hand and what I've been through and seen — I've played with a lot of different personalities, a lot of different guys and know how to approach a lot of situations," Conley said. "Hopefully that helps unlock that and allows all these guys to get better as the season goes along."
Gobert, who finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, had no doubt that would happen.
"Mike is someone I have a lot of respect for as a basketball player and as a man too," Gobert said. "Someone that I think is a winning basketball player. He's going to do all the little things on and off the court to help the team win."
The win didn't come Friday, and Conley said he thought it might not be until after next weekend's All-Star break for things to "settle down." They couldn't have been more hectic Friday.
"Honestly whenever you get traded, you're a little stunned and surprised at the same time," Conley said. "All the emotions come in. When you sit back and give yourself a chance to breathe and look at the opportunity we have here, I mean ... we're really going to get a lot better."
