The Denver Nuggets are in first place in the Western Conference, but they will be without Paul Millsap for the foreseeable future. The Nuggets' Twitter account provided an injury update that states that Paul Millsap suffered a right big toe fracture. No timetable is put forth by Denver.
Additionally, Gary Harris will be evaluated week by week for a right hip injury, but he could miss a month:
Nuggets Injury Updates.#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/zFKXcOyGMQ
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 8, 2018
Millsap is a four-time All-Star who is one of the unsung heroes on Denver. He may not get the same attention that guys like Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray warrant, but Millsap is an integral part of Denver's success.
Millsap is averaging 13.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Those are modest numbers, but Millsap's effort on the defensive end is just as impactful as his offense, if not more. Millsap is averaging 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He is an anchor in the paint and helps cover up some of Jokic's defensive liabilities.
That being said, Jokic's defense has been much improved this season. Perhaps Millsap's presence in the lineup is the reason for Jokic's improvement on defense. This stretch of games that Denver will play without Millsap should give us a better idea as to how valuable he is on the defensive end.
The Nuggets have a little bit of breathing room in the Western Conference. They're 17-8 and tied with Golden State for first place in the West. That being said, the 14th team in the West is only 5.5 games back of first place. The West is going to be a tight race all season, and the Nuggets can't afford to struggle without Millsap (and Harris).
Follow Us
Subscribe