From nearly the beginning, there appeared to more pep in the steps of Paul Millsap on Wednesday night, and it wasn’t just his alley-oop dunk 1:41 into the game that suggested he is ready to again shoulder serious burden.
The power forward’s shooting stroke was smooth, too, in a 96-91 win over the Nets.
Playing for the first time without padding on his right shoulder since it was injured April 4, Millsap’s 19 points led the Hawks, and he looked more like an All-Star than in recent weeks. He made 7 of 11 shots.
Considering he connected on only 2-of-9 in the regular-season finale at Chicago after missing five games with a strained/bruised shoulder injury suffered against the same Nets, and then going 2-of-11 against Brooklyn in Game 1, it’s safe to say the compression shirt under his jersey caused no problem.
He tried and missed one 3-point shot in each of those games.
On Wednesday, he made all four long shots that he tried.
“It felt good. I’d practiced without the pad. I got out there and tried it, and it felt pretty good,” he said. “Definitely more range, more mobility. You can’t pick your arm up above your ears (with the tight padding). More than likely, I’ll go without it next game.”
Millsap grinned after giving the Hawks plenty to smile about.
With seven rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots, he was all around. His shooting stood out.
“It looked like Paul really felt comfortable shooting the ball, shooting from range,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I think he’s more comfortable playing with just the shirt, not the padding.”
Open for what would have been a fifth 3-point try as the game wound down, Millsap loaded as if to shoot, and then fired a pass to DeMarre Carroll for a higher percentage layup. Carroll’s only basket was rather important, giving the Hawks a 92-89 lead with 55 seconds left in the game.
Millsap was open quite a bit, actually. Given Millsap’s relative shooting woes in two previous games, Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins seemed content to allow extra space.
“The 3-point shot was working; I was wide open on a lot of shots,” he said. “It really started with the guards penetrating. I was open for a 3 (late), but I saw DeMarre cut to the basket.”
At the other end of the floor, Millsap moments earlier challenged Brooklyn’s Joe Johnson when he drove for a basket that, if good, would’ve wiped out the Hawks’ scant 90-89 lead with 1:17 left. Jeff Teague rebounded the altered shot to start the possession that ended with the Millsap-to-Carroll connection.
“I got hit a few times (on the shoulder), grimaced a little bit and kept playing,” he said. “We did what we’re supposed to do … We didn’t shoot the ball particularly well. To win it on the defensive end, that’s satisfying for us. Defense is what’s going to do it for us.”
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