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Nuggets: Paul Millsap will work perfectly next to Nikola Jokic

By Tom West

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 24: Paul Millsap #4 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2017 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Kevin Liles/NBAE via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 24: Paul Millsap #4 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2017 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Kevin Liles/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Paul Millsap is excited to play with Nikola Jokic next season, and should be a perfect fit to give the Denver Nuggets an elite offensive frontcourt.

Paul Millsap is excited to join the Denver Nuggets. He’s pleased to be returning to Denver after spending 12 years of his childhood there, he knows how well he fits with the roster, he loved the team’s pitch in NBA free agency, and he can’t wait to play with Nikola Jokic.

I mean, who wouldn’t want to play with The Joker?

As Millsap said with a laugh in his initial press conference, per T.J. McBride of BSN Denver, “I am looking forward to Jokic making my life easier,” adding that Jokic can help him get tons of open layups.

Of course, playing off Jokic should make life easier for anyone. His vision is exceptional and he’s already become the best passing center in the NBA, possessing such rare quarterbacking ability and touch on his passes to thread the ball into tiny gaps at just the right moments. He averaged 5.8 assists per game after becoming the full-time starting center on December 15 and ranked sixth in the NBA (and first among centers) in overall Real Plus/Minus because of how he transforms the team when he’s on the floor. The way his passing and point center play elevates the offense is the main reason why the Nuggets scored 9.8 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor last season, per Basketball-Reference.com.

Millsap is such a smart player and always knows where to be on the floor. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be successful either, and he should thrive alongside Jokic to find good spots off the ball. He should also get the kind of open looks that will help his three-point percentage rise above the 31.1 mark that it was at last season.

As for Millsap’s remark about cuts, someone with his IQ and interior skill/strength will fit right in with the Nuggets’ offense after the team ranked second in points off cuts last season with 1,129. Denver’s offense includes so much passing and player movement, all led by Jokic picking apart defenses as the quarterback.

With Jokic drawing double teams in the post and kicking the ball outside or needling the ball between defenders to set up cutters for easy finishes at the rim, Millsap will blend in with his own timely dashes to the basket. It will be a welcome change after playing alongside Dwight Howard in Atlanta, as the Hawks also struggled all season long with the 27th-ranked offense.

As a passer, Millsap obviously isn’t on Jokic’s level (no big man is), but he’s still talented and can always be counted on to make smart passes and keep the ball moving. He averaged a career-high 3.7 assists per game last season, and will feel at ease being able to serve as another facilitator from the post in addition to Jokic and hit the frequent cutting of guys like Jamal Murray and Gary Harris on time, too.

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Then, when the Nuggets need someone to go get a bucket, they can dump the ball to Millsap at times, saving Jokic from doing too much of the work. Millsap has a terrific spin move that fans will enjoy in Denver, with strong handles and finishing around the rim when he’s either scoring from the post (he ranked in the 83rd percentile in post-up efficiency, per NBA.com) or facing up to drive down the lane.

“That veteran experience, making big plays, making big shots,” head coach Michael Malone has mentioned as an important part of Millsap’s skill set, per Christopher Dempsey of NBA.com. “That’s something that we have sorely missed the last couple of years. So, having a guy like Millsap is going to help out in so many areas. I can’t wait to coach him.”

In short, Millsap may not be the three-point shooter that Danilo Gallinari was, but he provides better passing and can still do more than his fair share of scoring in a variety of ways to complement Jokic perfectly.

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The defense is another story all together, one that makes this partnership even better and holds the most value when looking at Millsap’s overall impact. But when focusing on the offensive fit, it’s easy to see why Millsap is so excited to form one of the league’s best frontcourt tandems with Nikola Jokic.

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