With the league's best team waiting in the next round, the Memphis Grizzlies will be missing one of their key players as they try to close out the Portland Trail Blazers.
After taking a shot to the eye in Game 3, Mike Conley will only be able to watch Monday night when the Grizzlies try to complete the franchise's first playoff sweep.
Conley, who has also been dealing with a foot injury, went down in the third quarter of Saturday's 115-109 victory at Moda Center when Portland's CJ McCollum inadvertently elbowed him in the face.
The point guard stayed on his hands and knees for several moments before heading to the locker room. According to reports, Conley's left eye was swollen after he was taken to a local hospital for exams. The team said Sunday that Conley would return to Memphis for additional evaluation.
"Proud of my guys for stepping up!" Conley said on Twitter. "Huge win tonight. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I will be fine!"
Conley has played a major role in Memphis taking a commanding lead in the series, averaging 17.0 points on 54.5 percent shooting in Games 1 and 2. He had 14 points and four assists before leaving Saturday's contest.
"He does so much for us, with the ball, with the defense, setting us up. He shoulders a huge amount of responsibility for us," Memphis coach Dave Joerger said. "So everybody else has to just pick it up, keep getting better, and be a little bit more focused in every single area. Every single possession is going to matter."
A second-team all-defensive pick in 2012-13, Conley has also helped limit Damian Lillard to 16.0 points per game - 5.0 below his season average - on 10-of-37 (27.0 percent) shooting in the first two wins.
With Conley sidelined, the Grizzlies hope Beno Udrih can return after missing Game 3. The backup point guard finished with 20 points in the opener before spraining his right ankle in the first half of Game 2. Nick Calathes could also be in line for more minutes after providing a spark with 13 points off the bench Saturday.
"Without Mike, without Beno, I know how competitive we are," center Marc Gasol said. "I'm sure guys will be ready."
The banged-up Grizzlies could use the rest a sweep would bring ahead of a matchup with top-seeded Golden State in the Western Conference semifinals. They're seeking an eighth straight win and 13th in 14 meetings with the Blazers.
Gasol stepped up with 25 points while hitting 13 of 14 free throws Saturday. Courtney Lee has totaled 38 points in the last two games after scoring 20, while Zach Randolph added 16 against his former team.
Memphis has had its inside-outside game working in the series, outscoring Portland 144-102 in the paint while hitting 15 of 34 (44.1 percent) from 3-point range. Lee has made 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
The Blazers face a daunting task as they try to become the first NBA team to rally from a 3-0 deficit. The only time they've come back from a 2-0 hole was when they claimed the franchise's only championship in the 1977 finals.
"It's certainly disappointing to be 0-3 in the series," coach Terry Stotts told the team's official website. "Obviously our backs are against the wall and our focus is going to be on getting a win on Monday."
The Blazers, who have dropped seven in a row, can start by keeping Memphis off the charity stripe after it hit a team playoff-record 39 free throws in 43 attempts in Game 3.
Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge haven't found their rhythm in this series. Aldridge totaled 56 points and 28 rebounds in the first two games, but went 1 for 10 in the first half Saturday before shooting 5 of 8 the rest of the way and finishing with 21 points.
Nicolas Batum looks to build on his playoff career-high 27 points in Game 3, while McCollum scored 26 after he had a combined eight on 4-of-21 shooting in the first two games. Arron Afflalo had five points in 26 minutes in his first action following a five-game absence due to a right shoulder strain.