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Timberwolves’ Mike Conley misses Game 5 against Denver with sore Achilles

DENVER — Timberwolves guard Mike Conley missed Game 5 on Tuesday with Achilles soreness.

Wolves coach Chris Finch said Conley suffered the injury on his final 3-point attempt of Game 4 on Sunday. Trailing by eight points, Minnesota ran an inbounds play where Conley got off a tightly-contested look from the corner. It didn’t go down, and immediately after landing, Conley took a few ginger steps.

The 36-year-old slowly walked to and from the podium for his postgame interview after the contest.

Finch said Conley tried to test the Achilles in a pregame workout ahead of Game 5, but a decision was ultimately made to hold him out. Tuesday marked the second game this series that Minnesota played without a starter after Rudy Gobert missed Game 2 to witness the birth of his first child.

Minnesota responded to his absence by delivering one of its best defensive performances of the season.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker started in Conley’s place on Tuesday.

Whether Conley can be available on Thursday for Game 6 in Minnesota remains to be seen.