PORTLAND, Ore. -- Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley is sidelined indefinitely after undergoing surgery Monday to repair a facial fracture he suffered in a Game 3 playoff win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
"We don't know a lot, but the procedure was good and we'll see how it goes from here," said Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger, who indicated he will prepare as if Conley would be out for an extended period. "We've been trying to patch it together all year. We've had a lot of injuries, and one thing this team has done this season is it's stuck together."
Conley is recovering in Memphis after he returned from Portland after Saturday's 115-109 victory that gave the Grizzlies a 3-0 series lead entering Game 4 on Monday. The fractures near his left eye were caused by an inadvertent elbow he caught during a scramble for a loose ball with Blazers guard C.J. McCollum late in the third quarter.
After absorbing the blow, Conley remained on the floor for several seconds as play continued. He was eventually helped to the locker room for X-rays before being taken to a Portland medical facility. Conley flew home Sunday afternoon and was scheduled for the surgery Monday morning.
The Grizzlies did not divulge a specific time frame for when they expect Conley to return, but the eight-year veteran will likely be required to wear a protective mask whenever he is available.
Beno Udrih, who sat out Game 3 with a sprained right ankle, is expected to start in Conley's place.
"I'm not worried about Mike. Mike is a fighter," Udrih said after practice Sunday. "He'll be back in no time."
The Grizzlies will also turn to second-year guard Nick Calathes, who finished Game 3 with 13 points.
Conley led the Grizzlies in assists in the regular season and is the team's second-leading scorer in the playoffs, averaging 16.0 points and 3.7 assists through three games against Portland.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
