Nuggets' Millsap returns to practice, hopes to play 'pretty soon'

Paul Millsap is on the mend.

On Wednesday, the Denver Nuggets power forward participated in his first full practice since undergoing wrist surgery in November. Millsap isn't rushing back to the court, though, as he's unlikely to play this week and didn't provide a timetable for his return.

"Hopefully, pretty soon," he told The Denver Post's Nick Kosmider. "It feels good now. We'll see how it feels in the morning or after (Thursday's) practice, and we'll go from there. My intention was to come right back after the All-Star break and get into it, but we have to be smart about it. This was my first practice today, full contact, and I have to be smart about my wrist and my body."

After signing with Denver on a three-year, $90-million contract last summer, Millsap averaged 15.3 points on 44.6 percent shooting from the field and 34.5 percent from deep, to go along with 6.2 rebounds, three assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals over 16 games. He then tore a ligament in his left wrist on Nov. 19, but the Nuggets have fared well in his stead, going 23-19.

Denver has also won six of its last seven games, including impressive victories over three teams it trails in the playoff picture - the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Nuggets currently sit sixth in the Western Conference and well within striking distance of home-court advantage.

So, while head coach Mike Malone is happy to get Millsap back, he doesn't want to disrupt the team's current groove. As such, he plans to ease the four-time All-Star back into the rotation, and will probably bring him off the bench at first.

"We'll figure out who plays and when they play, but being healthy with 24 games to go (is) a good thing to be," Malone said.