SALT LAKE CITY — It was readily apparent, and Zach LaVine vocally observed it.
From the start of the championship round of the NBA HORSE Challenge on Thursday night, it was clear that Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley was going to be raising his game against the Chicago Bulls guard in the final after winning his first two rounds against Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings and retired NBA All-Star Chauncey Billups, respectively.
Sporting a Jazz shirt with the throwback colors of purple, green and gold, Conley got an early H on LaVine with a tough reverse layup and then made a free throw with his eyes closed, a shot LaVine had to answer to avoid going down two letters.
“Mike Conley’s coming with the heat,” LaVine said from his home outdoor court before indeed missing the shot.
There were a few moments from there that were as moderately intense as a HORSE game can get as LaVine tried to climb back in it, but he could never catch up as Conley won the championship HO-HORSE in a made-for-TV event ESPN produced as the NBA is suspended during the coronavirus pandemic.
Before Conley’s winning shot, a layup he lofted from behind the backboard, LaVine said, “If you do that, it’s a wrap,” and then added as he was starting his own attempt, “Well I mean look, Mike, it was a good competition for me. I appreciate you giving me some hope.”
His try went off the rim, and Conley was the champion.
“It was fun, man,” Conley told LaVine afterward from his home gym in Ohio. “It was good to see another NBA guy, man. Cooped up in the house and stuff, just good to see you.”
LaVine tried using the athleticism advantage he held over Conley to even the score and got one letter on a tough reverse layup (the other came on a 3-pointer), but Conley proved to be too skilled, thanks in part to being ambidextrous.
LaVine picked up an R on a missed corner 3-pointer using his off-hand that Conley had made, and got his S after Conley made a tricky shot that required spinning the ball on a finger and then punching it into the hoop with the other hand.
It’s a shot Conley had tried previously in the competition but missed.
It took a few rounds from there for Conley to eliminate LaVine, but he was finally able to do it with the tricky layup.
Both Conley and LaVine shared messages of encouragement to viewers as the pandemic continues.
“Stay safe right now, please,” Conley said. “It’s a desperate time all over the world, frankly, and we’re all affected by it and the best thing we can do is try to help each other, and if that’s staying away from each other right now, let’s all try to practice that and stay safe in that way.”
Said LaVine: “Everybody just stay safe and stay strong. You have to trust in the process of what’s going on. Above all, stay close to your family, continue to give your prayers and just be thankful that you’re around your family, things like that. There are less fortunate people and things that are going on right now. Just give your prayers and your thoughts as well.”
State Farm will be donating money to coronavirus relief efforts as part of the competition.