Grizzlies' Conley did not return to Game 3 after taking McCollum elbow to eye

The Memphis Grizzlies closed out Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers without their star point guard.

Already playing on a sore foot, Mike Conley left Saturday's game midway through the third quarter after taking an errant elbow to the eye from C.J. McCollum. Conley stayed on the floor for a moment before getting up on his own, after which he was spotted holding a towel to a bloody face on his way to the locker room.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies ruled Conley out for the remainder of the game, as he was taken to a nearby medical facility for further evaluation. Along with the bloodied face, he's said to have a swollen left eye, and the obvious implication is that Conley will undergo concussion testing, even if it's just as a precautionary measure.

The Grizzlies led 74-64 at the time of Conley's departure, and Conley had scored 14 points with four assists in 26 minutes.

With Beno Udrih sidelined with an ankle injury, the Grizzlies are down to Nick Calathes and the sparsely used Russ Smith to man the point against Damian Lillard. Calathes is a solid defender but not much of a threat to take advantage of the oft-wanting defense of Lillard and Steve Blake, possibly tilting the odds in Portland's favor late in the game.

Conley entered Saturday averaging 17 points and 3.5 assists in 26.5 minutes in the series and averaged 15.8 points, three rebounds and 5.4 assists during the regular season. A terrific two-way player, the Grizzlies' ceiling would be appreciably lower in the postseason is Conley were to miss extended time, particularly in a potential second-round playoff matchup against Steph Curry.