Michael Malone: Paul Millsap the 'Calm on Our Team' After Epic Game 5 vs Blazers
Many of the Denver Nuggets' key players entered the 2019 playoffs with little postseason experience, but Paul Millsap had previously served as a veteran leader and continued to do so with 24 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in Tuesday's 124-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Denver head coach Michael Malone told reporters Millsap "is the calm on our team" after his squad seized a 3-2 advantage with its win in Game 5 of the second-round series.
Millsap was far from the only Nuggets playmaker who thrived in Tuesday's contest, as Nikola Jokic (25 points, 19 rebounds, six assists) and Jamal Murray (18 points, nine assists, five boards) each carried the offense for stretches, as well.
Still, it was the veteran playing in his 10th career postseason who set the tone from the start. He scored 12 points in the first quarter and 19 in the first half, helping make up for early foul trouble from Jokic, who eventually fouled out.
He also impressed on the defensive side with a block on Enes Kanter and steal on Al-Farouq Aminu that led to a fastbreak layup before he punctuated his performance with a four-point play.
Millsap has exploited a Portland frontcourt playing without Jusuf Nurkic and had 21 points and 10 rebounds in Denver's Game 4 win. His ability to find openings when Jokic faces double-teams creates much-needed spacing and a number of open looks on the blocks and from mid-range.
The Nuggets will surely need his veteran leadership if they are going to clinch their first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 2009. They need to either win Game 6 on the road after going just 20-21 away from home in the regular season or deliver in a pressure-packed Game 7.
Millsap has proved he is ready for the moment in this series.
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