Former Hawks star leads Nuggets to win in Atlanta
ATLANTA — Denver paid big money to pry Paul Millsap from Atlanta because the Nuggets knew he’d be a trustworthy scorer in the clutch.
He provided a perfectly timed reminder in his Atlanta homecoming.
Millsap scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and Nikola Jokic recorded a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds as Denver beat Atlanta 105-100 on Friday night in the Hawks’ home opener.
“When the game is in the balance in that fourth quarter, that’s what your $30 million-a-year man has to do,” Denver coach Michael Malone said of Millsap. “This guy steps up and makes plays.”
Millsap was a four-time AllStar for the Hawks before signing a three-year, $90 million deal with Denver. He helped Denver protect a close lead by scoring on layups in back-to-back possessions with less than four minutes remaining, and he added another basket and a free throw as Denver blocked Atlanta’s comeback attempt.
After the game, Hawks forward Taurean Prince hugged Millsap and told him he appreciated his help in his career.
“I almost broke down in tears,” Millsap said. “It means a lot. I had a lot of memories. It’s a great city. There’s a lot of great people here.”
The Hawks gave Millsap a video tribute during a firstquarter timeout. Millsap smiled and waved to cheering fans.
“He’s a great player,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game. “A ton of respect for him and what he does. He makes winning plays.”
Will Barton and Gary Harris each scored 18 points and Emmanuel Mudiay had 16 for Denver (2-3), which picked up its first win in Atlanta in six years.
Jokic, a third-year center from Serbia, helped Denver overcome Atlanta’s 14 3-pointers.
Dennis Schroder, back in the lineup after missing two games with a sprained left ankle, led Atlanta with 20 points. His steal-and-layup cut Denver’s lead to 101-98 with 1:22 remaining, but Jokic answered with a jumper.
Prince had 19 points and Dewayne Dedmon added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta.
The Hawks (1-5) have lost five straight since opening the season with a win at Dallas.
“We’re battling,” said Kent Bazemore, who had seven points. “It’s tough. … The guys are fighting, trying to make the right plays, and we’re growing. That’s the encouraging thing.”
A huge “Coming Soon” banner covered what was a wall of luxury suites as the $192.5 million renovation of Philips Arena, which began this offseason, is scheduled to be completed after the season. Capacity is down from 18,047 to 15,711 for this season.