ATLANTA — Tucked away between a high school football stadium and a Motel 6 is a red-and-white warehouse-style building.
Walk through the front doors and look to the left, and a wooden No. 4 pops out from the wall. Look straight ahead, and a pair of glass doors open to an expansive space with three full basketball courts.
Welcome to Core 4, in northeast Atlanta. This is where the practiced Thursday as they aim to snap out of a 1-3 funk to begin the season. But it’s also where Millsap first introduced himself to his new Denver teammates, offering up his basketball digs for a voluntary minicamp in August.
As Millsap prepares to face his former team for the first time as a Nugget, his gym essentially serves as a bridge between his All-Star tenure with the and his new chapter in Denver.
“The fact that he allowed us to come in here,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, “it speaks to his willingness to understand, ‘I’m going to a new team and I want to try to create those bonds and that chemistry as quickly as possible.’ What better way than to come down here to Atlanta, in his town and his facility, and kind of start that?”
Malone and Nuggets management set an offseason goal to gather their players once a month during the summer. Then when Millsap became Denver’s marquee free-agent signing, the Nuggets suddenly had the perfect locale.
The facility’s construction was not yet complete, so Millsap’s crew rushed to lay flooring down in time for the Nuggets’ arrival. More than 10 players made the trip, Malone said, a “highlight by itself” because they needed to commit their own time and money to attend. For a week, the Nuggets worked through on-court drills during the day and bonded over dinners, movies and rounds of Top Golf at night.
“All that time is imperative that we spent together,” Millsap said.
Added Malone: “Thatap such a big part of it. You bring all these people together, but if you’re not getting to know one another as teammates, as people, I think your chemistry is only so deep.”
The 44,000-square-foot facility boasts several slick amenities. A hot tub, cold tub and sauna. A weight room with turf and a track. Even a kitchen area with fancy backsplash tile and office space that will belong to Millsap.
But when asked about their favorite features, Millsap and Malone did not hesitate — the courts.
“I see open space,” Malone said. “I see a lot of room for us to get work in.”
Another look at Paul Millsap's training facility in Atlanta. To say this is expansive court space is an understatement.
— Gina Mizell (@ginamizell)
The Nuggets utilized it all Thursday afternoon, darting from one court to another during drills. As teammates put up extra shots following practice, Millsap reflected on his four years with the Hawks, when the 6-foot-8 power forward expanded his game to the 3-point line and developed into a perennial All-Star and playoff regular. He expects a massive contingent of friends and family in the stands at Phillips Arena on Friday night, and acknowledged emotions will flow despite his typically calm demeanor.
Screams interrupted Millsap’s media session Thursday after veteran Richard Jefferson slammed home a nasty dunk over Trey Lyles.
It was the latest way Millsap’s Core 4 facility bridged his past with the Hawks and his new adventure with the Nuggets.
“I wish we could package this whole facility, put it on a moving truck and bring it out to Denver,” Malone said. “And paint it blue.”
DENVER AT ATLANTA, 5:30 p.m., ALT, 950 AM
Spotlight on John Collins: The rookie big man from Wake Forest is quietly off to a strong start, entering Thursday averaging 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. Collins, who possesses a long and athletic 6-foot-10 frame, has been active and fearless while battling inside thus far. But now he must face a Denver front line that includes Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic, Mason Plumlee, Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler.
Notes
Nuggets: After boasting one of the NBA’s most potent offenses last season, Denver entered Thursday ranked 26th in scoring at 97.3 points per game. … Denver’s previously maligned defense, however, has improved statistically, entering Thursday in the top 15 in the league in points allowed (98) and defensive rating (104.3), despite surrendering a second-quarter outburst in Wednesday’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets. … Millsap leads Denver in scoring at 15.5 points per game, while Jokic is averaging 13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and five assists per game. … The Nuggets and Hawks have one common opponent so far this season, both losing at Charlotte by double digits.
Hawks: Starting point guard Dennis Schroder, who has averaged 23.3 points and 6.7 assists in three games but is sidelined with an ankle injury, is reportedly probable to play against the Nuggets. … The Hawks have also struggled offensively, entering Thursday ranked in the bottom 10 of the NBA in points (101.3 per game), field-goal percentage (42.3) and assists (18.5 per game). … This is Atlanta’s home opener, after beginning the season with five consecutive road contests including a Thursday night matchup against the Chicago Bulls.
