Paul Millsap has always been a consummate pro. Ever since his days with the Utah Jazz, he is someone any coach would love to have on their team. From his time in Utah, to when he was an All-Star with the Atlanta Hawks, to now as a key veteran with the Denver Nuggets, Millsap has had great moments. With that said, which season of his tends to get overlooked? We will be taking a look and determining the four-time All-Star’s most underrated season of his career.
Paul Millsap: His Most Underrated Season
The Anchorman: His 2015-16 Campaign
The Atlanta Hawks may have not replicated the success they had the previous year when they won 60 games, but they were still solid. Led by Millsap, the Hawks would still finish with a win-loss record of 48-34 which would be good enough for fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks would lose in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers who were captained by LeBron James at the time.
At that time, James was the kryptonite for many Eastern Conference title contenders. As a result, it is hard to hold getting swept by Cleveland against Millsap. Paul Millsap still had an integral part of this squad and had many great moments during this particular season. After all, it is arguably the best defensive season he has had which we will get into in a moment. Some of Millsap’s numbers may have taken a dip during this campaign. However, if you look deeper, you will see he was also more efficient in other categories.
Paul Millsap: His 2015-16 Numbers
During the 2015-16 season, Millsap would tally 17.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, and an effective field goal percentage of 50.5 percent translating into his third All-Star appearance. On top of this, he would also come away with 1.8 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. His advanced numbers in the 2015-16 season are also impressive.
Many forget that Millsap made the All-Defensive Team during this particular year. His career-low defensive rating of 96 had a major impact on the selection. Also, he would average an offensive rating of 108 to go along with a true shooting percentage of 55.6 percent. To top it off, Millsap would also come away with a total rebounding percentage of 15.1 percent, a career-high defensive win-share of 6.0, and a player efficiency rating of 21.3 during this time. Millsap is loved by each team he has played for due to his great work ethic. His numbers reflect that work ethic and the 2015-16 season is one example that tends to go overlooked.
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