It’s not like Paul Millsap’s big night came as a surprise, yet when the Hawks’ under-stated star went for 28 points and 15 rebounds Wednesday in a 113-102 win over the Nets, there were opportunities to think: this is working out better than anyone could have thought.
When the Hawks signed the veteran free agent to a two-year, $19 million contract in July, 2013, team officials had a good idea what they were getting: a guy who would hit the boards with passion, share the ball necessarily rather than gobble it, and shoot with discretion.
He’d serve as a plow horse, as he had with the Jazz, and create space for fellow front courter Al Horford in the process.
Millsap has done all that and more.
The man is setting pace not only with the game of a Clydesdale, but several other forms of horsepower.
On an evening when he made a career-high 15-of-16 free throws, Millsap added 5-of-9 work from the field, including 3-of-5 3-pointers.
He’s made 47-of-129 long balls this season (36.4 percent) after going 31-of-113 as a member of the Utah Jazz – in seven seasons!
“I didn’t realize Paul could do this much,” coach Mike Budenholzer said not just of Wednesday but of Millsap’s past 15 or so months. “We thought he was going to be versatile, but I think he’s more versatile. We thought he could extend his range … he’s followed through and done that.”
When the Hawks awoke from their quarter-plus slumber, Millsap was in the middle of a 21-9 run that took control of the game and staked Atlanta to a 64-53 halftime lead.
Shortly after checking back into the game with Atlanta trailing 44-43 in the second quarter, he made a pair of free throws for a 48-44 lead. Moments later, he grabbed consecutive offensive rebounds to keep alive a possession that he finished off with two more free throws.
By quarter’s end, he would add another pair of free throws, a 3-pointer, and four more rebounds.
Millsap has taken advantage of Budenholzer’s system to lead the Hawks with averages of 17.2 points and 8.1 rebounds.
“They definitely encouraged me to shoot it. They [seek] spacing the floor,” he said of his entry in Atlanta. “If you’re going to space the floor, you’ve got to be able to step out and hit your shot … and the coaches and the organization encouraged me to do it.”
Actually, that was a process.
Millsap — who averaged 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds in seven seasons with the Jazz before last season averaging a career-high 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds with career highs in assists (232) and steals (129) — had to be pushed.
“We had to make him shoot. Honestly, that first year we had to encourage him to shoot,” said point guard Jeff Teague. “We told him, ‘For our offense to work, you’ve got to pull that trigger.’
“That’s a talented dude over there. That guy can really play the game at a very high level. He can do everything on the court. He can pass it, shoot it … he’s a monster on the boards. We knew that he was an All Star-caliber player.”
Against Brooklyn, Millsap blocked two shots and recorded a steal. He entered the night No. 12 in the NBA in steals (1.8 per game), and with his somewhat new-found long jumper, Millsap has become more dangerous.
“Absolutely,” he said when asked if the threat of his 3-pointer has opened up the rest of his game. “I’m able to pump-fake, and put it on the ground and take guys off the dribble and try to create for my teammates.”
