DENVER — Paul Millsap’s teammates would pester him about his impending return every day at practice, ‘Is it time? Is it time?’
After 44 missed games and a tiresome three-month rehab from reconstructive left wrist surgery, that time could be now.
Millsap went through a week of practices following the All-Star break without any setbacks and declared himself a game-time decision ahead of Tuesday night’s showdown (8:30 p.m. TNT) with the Los Angeles Clippers. Millsap was upgraded on the Nuggets’ official injury report on Monday afternoon from “OUT” to “QUESTIONABLE” for the first time since he sprained his left wrist against the Lakers on Nov. 19.
“I don’t know. We’ll see,” Millsap said at shootaround regarding his availability. “I’m feeling good right now. Ready to go.”
The 33-year-old admitted he forgot most of the Nuggets’ playbook while sidelined but ran through 5-on-0 drills on Saturday in an effort to refamiliarize himself with Denver’s read-and-react offense. Millsap recently shed the splint he was wearing on his left wrist for a more low-profile padded shooting sleeve that still provides him a bit of protection.
An ironman by NBA standards, Millsap has dealt with common ailments like knee swelling and tendinitis throughout his 12-year career. But never an injury like this. Millsap has played at least 69 games (besides the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season) every season, and the road back has been a difficult one.
Millsap was emotional when he arrived at the facility Tuesday morning with the thought that he may be able to play in the back of his mind.
“I actually cried a little bit because of the hard work that’s been put in. For myself, from our PT staff, (physical therapist) Matt (Tuttle), (head strength and conditioning coach) Felipe (Eichenberger), getting my body right,” said Millsap while noting that he’s leaned on family members, teammates and Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly during this process. “So all the hard work that’s been put in to get to this point, I broke down this morning. I feel like I’m a tough guy. For something that significant to happen, it means a lot to get to this point.
“My body feels great. Stronger than ever.”
The final step of Millsap’s rehab is getting the full range of motion back in his left wrist — something he doesn’t have quite yet.
“I don’t (have full range of motion), and that’s going to take time,” Millsap said. “Whether it’s now, or a month from now, we feel comfortable with where it’s at right now to get out here and practice and hopefully the game, but we’ll continue to push it every single day and get the most out of it.”
Without Millsap, the Nuggets have kept their heads above water in a turbulent Western Conference where seeds three through nine are separated by just four games. Entering Tuesday’s slate of action, the Nuggets are eighth in the West with just 22 regular-season games remaining — one game ahead of Clippers, who sit just outside the playoff picture.
Denver has gone 24-20 in Millsap’s absence. Ten of those wins have come since Jan. 22 when Nuggets coach Michael Malone started calling fewer plays in an effort to return Denver’s offense to last season’s form. The Nuggets have the league’s third-best offense over that span, and Denver is 10-4 in its past 14 games with victories over the Spurs (twice), Warriors and Thunder.
“I envision just standing in the corner and get out of the guys’ way,” said Millsap who led the team in field goal attempts per game when he was in the lineup earlier this season. “What they’re doing offensively has been great. Hopefully, I don’t mess it up.”
But the Nuggets’ defense took a nosedive from around a league average efficiency at the time of Millsap’s injury to 24th overall where they currently rank. The Nuggets are fielding the league’s second-worst defense — barely ahead of the Phoenix Suns — since Millsap’s injury.
Millsap will bring a renewed sense of on-court leadership to the Nuggets when he returns. He’ll also look to stabilize Denver’s defensive free-fall.
“Things that we’ve been struggling with, I feel like I can help big time with that,” Millsap said.”Watching it from the sideline there are things I can see.”
Whether or not he suits up against the Clippers, Millsap is excited to get away from the training staff and back to his teammates, who he’s watched grow up in his absence.
Second-year point guard Jamal Murray is averaging 17.2 points per game since Millsap went down in November. Nikola Jokic is playing at an All-NBA level and is in contention with Pelicans’ big man Anthony Davis for February’s Player of the Month honors. Gary Harris has been the Nuggets’ most consistent player throughout the entire season.
“He’s like a vet out there,” Millsap said of Harris.
Millsap will come off the bench when he is activated and his minutes will gradually increase until he returns to the starting lineup.
There are difficult decisions to make when it comes to Denver’s lineup with Millsap’s impending return, like how to manage a frontcourt rotation of four big men in Millsap, Jokic, Mason Plumlee and Trey Lyles, the latter of whom has established himself as a critical scoring punch off the Nuggets’ bench.
Those decisions could lead to a few sleepless nights for Malone, but he’ll gladly take them in stride if it means his defensive captain is in form for a potential April playoff run.
“My facial expression doesn’t show it. I’m not one to show too much emotion,” Millsap said. “But I’m very excited to get back out there and play with these guys.”
