The Denver Nuggets aren’t sure what course of action Paul Millsap will take to repair the injured ligament in his left wrist. Millsap, who sustained the injury in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, has visited with doctors in Denver and Atlanta.
“They’ve been continuing to talk to different doctors, whether it be at home in Atlanta, local doctors and deciding on the best course of action,” Nuggets’ coach Michael Malone said. “I don’t think anything has been solidified with that decision yet.”
Whatever he decides, the Nuggets know they’ll have to get by without him for an extended amount of time.
“The beat goes on. We have to prepare knowing that no matter what the course of action is, he’s going to be out for an extended period of time,” Malone added. “We have to find ways to win while he is out.”
Doing so won’t be easy. Millsap ranks first on the team in blocks (1.3), second in points (15.3) and rebounds (6.2) and fourth in assists (3.1). His absence will be felt everywhere, Malone acknowledged.
“We miss him on defense. We miss on offense. We’ll miss having a go-to player,” Malone said. “How many games has Paul Millsap won for us this year? Just having a guy in the fourth quarter who is a security blanket, a guy that you can go to in the post that’s going to score, that’s going to get fouled and is going to make a play for his teammate. A guy like Paul Millsap, we’re going to miss his presence in the locker room, in the huddle on the court and on defense because he’s that valuable.”
The Nuggets made significant strides on the defensive end with Millsap in the lineup. They were allowing roughly five points per 100 possessions fewer this year compared to last when Millsap exited Sunday’s game with the injury. How Denver fares on the defensive end without Millsap — who could be sidelined for up to three months if he elects to have surgery — will be interesting to monitor.
Millsap’s absence also means Denver loses perhaps its most valuable on-court leader. With Millsap out, Denver could lean more heavily on Nikola Jokic. Malone said he’s seen Jokic be more vocal this season — particularly on Denver’s recent three-game road swing.
“He’s really trying. And it’s not easy,” Malone said. “I told him when I went to Serbia and when the season ended, your mental toughness, how you handle yourself in adverse situations is so important for us. When things didn’t go his way in the past, he kind of gave into it. I see a young man right now who is learning how to fight through adversity. He’s making strides.
“In Sacramento, I grabbed him in the hotel lobby and said, ‘There’s no Wilson, there’s no Paul, there’s no me. I don’t care if we’re up 10 or down 10. Be a leader. These guys are looking to you now. And he embraced it that night. I think he’s heading the right direction in that regard.”
Jokic is probable for tonight’s matchup after injuring his ankle against Houston. He went through shootaround but did experience some soreness.
While Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania both reported that Millsap was opting for surgery, the Nuggets released a statement on Wednesday that said: “additional evaluation and consultation is ongoing to determine the best course of medical care.”
The Nuggets are 1-1 without Millsap. They beat the Kings 114-98 on Monday before getting blasted by Houston 125-95 on Wednesday. They face the Memphis Grizzlies at 7 p.m. tonight.
