Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. still had a good sense of humor after being snubbed for a spot in the 2021 NBA All-Star game. After all, this isn't the first time it's happened as he's been passed over for that distinction for years, despite being one of the most consistent players at his position.
A day after the 2021 NBA All-Star reserves were announced, the 33-year-old guard jokingly pinned the blame on his Jazz teammates for not winning more. Had they started the season undefeated, then maybe no one could have denied his spot in the All-Star game, he said in jest after the Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 114-89 on Wednesday (via ESPN's Tim McMahon).
“Man, it was tough. I really, really thought this was the year. I joked with the guys on the team that I blame them. We should have started the year 31-0. Maybe that would have given me a chance, but I don’t know what else to do,” he said.
Mike Conley Jr. put up all-around numbers of 14 points built on four made triples, along with eight rebounds, eight assists, and two steals in 27 minutes against the Lakers.
The usually reserved playmaker was extremely vocal this season as to why he deserves to be an All-Star for the first time in his career. It's actually hard to disagree with the three-time NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, given the fantastic year he's having in his first full season in Salt Lake City.
In 26 games this season, Conley has been notching 16.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 42 percent from deep. While those numbers clearly do not stand out in the box score, there's no denying Conley's valuable impact on Utah's success right now.
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