Nuggets grind out ugly win over Grizzlies as Paul Millsap returns to starting lineup

For the first time since Nov. 19, Paul Millsap was back in the Denver Nuggets’ starting lineup. It was a bit of a surprise considering Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s initial plan was to bring Millsap back slowly from a wrist injury that sidelined him for 44 games.

Millsap came off the bench Tuesday in his first game back. Three days later, he returned to the role all parties had in mind when they agreed to a monster three-year deal last summer: starting power forward.

Millsap scored 15 points in 27 minutes, and the Denver Nuggets beat a severely depleted Memphis Grizzlies team 108-102. But it was not a pretty win.

The Nuggets committed 22 turnovers, 13 of which came in the first half. They allowed the Grizzlies to grab 17 offensive rebounds.

Denver had a 15-point lead with 10:22 to go, but it wasn’t able to put the game away until late in the fourth quarter. A pair of Marc Gasol free throws sliced Denver’s lead to two points with 1:38 remaining. The Nuggets were in real danger of falling to a Grizzlies team that entered the game riding an 11-game losing streak, but Gary Harris’ step-back jumper on their next possession pushed the lead back to four, and Denver hung on.

Harris scored a game-high 26 points on 11-18 shooting. Harris and Will Barton, who came off the bench and finished with 24 points, carried the load offensively. Only three Nuggets’ players finished in double figures.

Nikola Jokic took only five shots. He scored nine points. He looked out of sorts on both ends of the floor.

Denver improved to 34-28. It faces the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Saturday.