Nuggets' Paul Millsap out vs. Mavericks with Knee Injury

Denver Nuggets star Paul Millsap will miss Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks because of a left knee contusion.

Injuries were an unfortunate theme for Millsap through his first two years in Denver. He underwent wrist surgery in November 2017, which limited him to 38 games during the 2017-18 season. Then he suffered a broken toe last December, which put him on the shelf for an extended stretch.

When healthy, Millsap has delivered exactly what the Nuggets expected when they signed him to a three-year, $90 million contract. He's averaging 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc during his time with the team.

Denver was one game away from reaching the 2019 Western Conference Finals. Now, the Nuggets are hopeful of taking the next step, especially with the Golden State Warriors recalibrating after Kevin Durant's departure and long-term injuries to Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.

The Nuggets are basically running it back with last year's squad, with the exception of acquiring Jerami Grant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was the kind of incremental move that strengthened the squad at relatively little cost.

Grant's presence will help soften the blow of losing Millsap.