Five days off before a difficult close to the regular season gave Michael Malone the opportunity to take full advantage of Breckenridge Ski Resort’s snowiest February on record.
After making the hour-long trip north to Greeley where Malone watched his oldest daughter play volleyball, Denver’s coach drove west with his GPS set for Breckenridge, the mountain town located around two hours from Pepsi Center which has already accumulated 91 inches of snow this month. An All-Star weekend ski trip was the perfect way to pass the long weekend.
“I had a great time doing both,” Malone said following the Nuggets’ first post-All-Star break practice Wednesday. “Thank you for asking.”
The R&R was necessary, not only for Malone but also for his players. After a successful first 55 regular season games where the Nuggets went 38-17, which is tied for the best start in franchise history through 55 games, and compiled a perfect 9-0 record in the Northwest Division, the schedule is about to ramp up for the current second seed in the West.
The Nuggets open their post-All-Star break slate Friday in Oklahoma City and host Minnesota Sunday and Detroit Tuesday, but then play nine games in the span of just 17 days. Denver has road dates with the Clippers, Mavericks, Spurs and Lakers with home matchups versus the Bucks and Raptors during that stretch.
Throughout the month of March, the Nuggets play 10 of their 16 games away from Pepsi Center, and from March 5 through March 25 play nine of 11 on the road.
“Now here’s the challenge. I thought we were playing at a high level going into (the break). How do we get back to that?” Malone asked. “Extended break, guys get away, mental rest, physical rest, but now emotionally we have to find a way to get back and not ease into the post-All-Star break schedule. We have to hit the ground running.”
The good news? The Nuggets should be well rested. Nikola Jokic was the team’s lone representative at All-Star weekend and the rest of his teammates were able to take advantage of the break.
Gary Harris, Jerami Grant and P.J. Dozier all went home. Harris was back in Indiana for the All-Star break. Grant journeyed to Washington D.C. and Dozier was in Columbia, South Carolina where he watched his alma mater defeat Tennessee 63-61.
Jamal Murray also went back home, to Kitchener, Ontario for the few days off. Bol Bol took in Oregon’s matchup against Colorado in Eugene where he spent his freshman year of college before declaring for the draft last summer.
Some Nuggets went in search of warmer weather.
Will Barton, who was lauding his fresh tan as practice came to a close Wednesday, was in Mexico. Jordan McRae visited Jamaica. Monte Morris and Vlatko Cancar took in the sights and sounds of Miami.
Paul Millsap was craving a couple beach days too ultimately decided to spend his time off in Atlanta, where the 14-year pro makes his offseason home. Millsap, 35, said that after a long time in the league and plenty of All-Star breaks under his belt he’s mastered the art of how to take care of his body during the break.
Millsap recently missed 16 games in a row with a left knee contusion/sprain but was back in the lineup for the Nuggets’ last three matchups before the All-Star break. He came off the bench in all three but will return to the starting lineup once his current minute restriction gets lifted.
“Going into the break you have to have awareness of where you’re at mentally and physically and just take intel of that, take note and figure it out,” Millsap told DNVR. “But I feel great. I feel really good. No complications, nothing lingering. So I feel great. My body feels amazing.”
The Nuggets managed to go 11-5 in the 16 games Millsap missed and since Jan. 1 are an impressive 15-7 over their last 22 games. Denver hasn’t played its opening night starting five since Jan. 8.
“To do it with all the injuries and guys being out that we’ve dealt with I think it’s been remarkable,” Malone said.
The Nuggets could get Mason Plumlee (right cuboid injury) Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle injury) and Will Barton (right knee inflammation) back later this week against the Thunder. All three participated in parts of live scrimmaging Wednesday and could play Friday in Oklahoma City, but the Nuggets will be especially cautious with Barton. Malone said Barton’s injury was a result of “overuse” and “somewhat similar” to what Millsap went through.
Coming out of the All-Star break the Nuggets plan to rely on their depth. Denver could lock in its eight or nine-man playoff rotation over the rest of February but would run the risk of wearing its key guys out down the stretch of the regular season. Malone would rather lean on what he thinks is the “best depth in the NBA.”
It’s time for the Nuggets to put down the cocktails and get ready for a daunting stretch run, a segment of the season which Malone said is typically his most challenging as a coach.
“Guys were just down in Mexico, L.A., the Bahamas drinking Mai Tai’s, which is great,” Malone said. “But now you’re back. We have a game. We cant just think we’re going to show up. That to me is the greatest challenge.”
