Memphis Grizzlies fan and season ticket holder Adrian Shavers is facing a complicated situation. He’s one of many of the team's fans who are watching former Grizzlies great Mike Conley star in the playoffs with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He wants Conley to succeed, but an indirect result of that success is seeing Anthony Edwards hyped up as the league’s next great star — a position Ja Morant had occupied for much of the previous two seasons.

The Grizzlies aren’t in the playoffs, so their fans have needed a way to stay connected to the action. The easiest route has come through watching Conley and his Wolves team face the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals. Many Grizzlies fans are rooting for Conley, who spent 12 seasons in Memphis, to win the series.

Grizzlies fans backing the Timberwolves

Longtime Grizzlies fan Lori Climer has been watching the series closely. The Timberwolves took a 2-0 series lead before the defending NBA champion Nuggets came storming back and won three straight games, putting Minnesota on the brink of elimination.

With the series tied 2-2, it was announced shortly before the game that Conley, in his first full season with the Timberwolves, would miss Game 5 due to right Achilles soreness.

“I cried when I heard he was hurt,” Climer said. “I was like, ‘No, no, no!’ ”

The Timberwolves lost that game, but Conley returned with Minnesota facing elimination in Game 6. Edwards called Conley's return a key reason Minnesota dominated Denver 115-70 in a Game 6 win. The two teams will now face off in a winner-takes-all Game 7 on Sunday.

Even when Conley out for Minnesota, there was still another former Grizzlies player to watch. Kyle Anderson, who spent four seasons with Memphis, is playing a reserve role.

Anderson was on the Grizzlies when they defeated the Wolves in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. He left the following offseason in free agency to join Minnesota.

Anderson’s voice was one of the most active when he was with the Grizzlies. He was known to be loud and constructive with teammates and was seen as one of the leaders.

“Kyle and Mike were us,” Climer said. “I hope the Timberwolves go all the way just because of Mike and Kyle.”

Mike Conley's lasting Memphis legacy

Conley led the Grizzlies to seven consecutive playoff runs, including an appearance in the Western Conference finals. In that time, his “cool” personality, as Climer called it, rubbed off on everyone.

“In my 22 years of being in the media, my two favorite people that I’ve covered are Kurt Warner and Mike Conley,” Grizzlies television sideline reporter Rob Fischer said. "It’s because they’re so genuine. They’re real human beings.

“I’ll always root for Mike, no matter where he’s at.”

Championship hopes?

Before the playoffs, Conley's passionate message to his younger teammates went viral. The 36-year-old was part of seven Grizzlies teams that made the playoffs, and the Utah Jazz got to the postseason each of the three years he was with them.

But now, Conley’s plea to the Wolves?

“I told the guys that selfishly, do it for me, man,” he said. “Help me out. Meet me at my level right now because I don’t got long.”

Conley one day will have his jersey retired in Memphis, just like Core Four teammates Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Tony Allen’s ceremony should come next season, so Conley will be the last to join that group.

He also was the last of that foursome to be traded out of Memphis. Gasol was sent to Toronto in February 2019, and less than five months later, helped the Raptors win an NBA championship.

Watching Gasol win was a moment Grizzlies fans still point to as a fulfilling one. Conley’s legacy in Memphis is evoking the same sentiment during this Wolves playoff run. If the Wolves can get past the Nuggets on Sunday, they likely will be favorites in their Western Conference Finals matchup.

“I think he deserves a ring more than anybody," Climer said.

“I think we would be very happy for him, very proud of him, and I think people couldn’t wait for him to get back and show us that ring,” Fischer said.

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies fans rooting for Mike Conley in Wolves playoff games