Millsap helped save Hawks’ season

The Hawks open their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Pacers at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Millsap, who signed a two-year, $19 million contract this summer, led the Hawks with 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He also added 3.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in 33.5 minutes. He made the All-Star team for the first time in his career.

“Personally, it was a good year for myself, but I keep a high standard, the bar high,” Millsap said Friday after the Hawks’ preparations for the Pacers. “The things I accomplished were good, but the best is yet to come, hopefully. I’m still learning, still trying to get better.

“This season isn’t over yet. I’ll rate myself after the playoffs are over.”

Millsap was the only player in the NBA this season to average at least 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks.

Millsap doesn’t have to look far in this series to see one of his inspirations in becoming a successful NBA player. He watched Pacers power forward David West and learned. Millsap played collegiately at Louisiana Tech. West was then with the New Orleans Hornets. Millsap saw a player with a similar build — 6-foot-8, 250 pounds — who was skilled and could shoot even if undersized.

It will be one of the intriguing matchups of the series.

“I don’t want to overplay it, but it’s a big matchup,” Millsap said. “He’s a guy I looked up to coming out of college. For myself, personally, it’s a big matchup for me just to try to contain him. He is a big part of what they do offensively. He is one of their best offensive scorers. I’ve got to take it on myself to play solid defense on him.”

The Hawks and Pacers split their season series 2-2, even as Millsap was not a factor in the first three games. Millsap was a combined 6-of-31 from the floor with a total of 18 points. In the final game, a lopsided Hawks win in Indianapolis that will provide much confidence going into the playoffs, Millsap scored 17 points.

“They are just a good defensive team,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Whether it’s Paul, or if you looked at all the forwards across the league, whoever they’ve played has been somewhat limited because they are the top defensive team in the league. We are going to continue to find Paul where he is comfortable and where he can make decisions, sometimes passing to others, sometimes scoring himself. He is unique as somebody who will end up with the ball making decisions.”

Millsap said he is not concerned with the number of points he scores. He intends to be aggressive and attack the basket. If he can score, fine. If he can find someone else to score, fine. It’s a matter of the Hawks converting their chances. In the playoffs each possession is critical and compounded by the pressure of the postseason.

Millsap’s all-around game often goes unnoticed, according to Budenholzer.

“Paul has been an integral part of us,” Budenholzer said. “Defensively, I think sometimes it’s not talked about with how many little things he does with deflections and steals and rebounds and blocked shots. He is just a very instinctive defender.

“Offensively, (in) some ways the characteristics carry over to the other end. He does a lot of things off instinct and creativeness. He can play with both hands. He is a good decision-maker. He is a little bit unique, and hopefully we take advantage of that as much as possible.”

With the playoffs about to get underway, the Hawks are still counting on Millsap.