In Utah's stunningly easy 117-100 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, Paul Millsap scored 24 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, blocked a shot and put his stamp on the game as much as, if not more, than Deron Williams.
To let his teammates tell it, however, the man starting for the injured Carlos Boozer didn't do enough. "How could you let all of those rebounds go," Andrei Kirilenko said with a smile. "I left all of those rebounds for you. You should've had 20."
It was an obvious joke between two teammates after a rousing victory. But what Millsap's been able to do of late is not a laughing matter.
Simply put, Millsap's playing some of the best Basketball of his young career. His point total is four off a career-high. His rebound total was one off a career-high. It says something about how well Millsap's been playing that not nearly as much mention has been made over Boozer's strained quad as has been made over the ankle of Williams.
"I'm just trying to get comfortable in the starting lineup," Millsap said. "I'm just trying to take advantage of my opportunities. I know that we need Boozer back. He makes everything easier when he's here."
Against Memphis, Millsap shot 11-for-17 from the field. Most of those makes were on dunks because the Grizzlies put up little resistance in the paint. Of his rebound total, seven came on the offensive end.
But the telltale sign that Millsap's emerging is the fact Jerry Sloan is not afraid to run some of his offensive sets through him. Indeed, one of his baskets came on a pretty spin move that left Memphis center Marc Gasol standing in virtual cement.
And even with the expanded offensive game, the hustle's still there. He still goes after loose balls with abandon, and he still thinks that grabbing every rebound is his right.
"It's tough to single a guy out for hustling because everybody should hustle," Sloan said. "He's played well since starting. He's making the most of his minutes."
tjones@sltrib.com
