Even though the Denver Nuggets lost on Tuesday night, they are optimistic about the future. Much of that comes from the fact Paul Millsap logged his first minutes in 44 games, returning from the left wrist injury that sidelined him for three months.

However, his return creates some changes to the Nuggets’ frontcourt playing rotation that had mostly done a decent job of holding down the fort. Third-year forward Trey Lyles averaged 26.5 minutes per game, 14.4 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game in December and January and has been fairly solid this month, too (19.5 mpg, 10.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg). He is unfortunately the most likely candidate to see a drop in playing time, though, notes Gina Mizell of The Denver Post:

“I can’t wait really long to get him back into that starting lineup,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said of Millsap. “It’s like you’re delaying the inevitable. He is our starting power forward.”

Malone expects that move to come sometime next week, once Millsap regains game conditioning. He’ll join starters Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Wilson Chandler (at small forward) and Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ original starting group before Millsap tore a ligament in his left wrist during a Nov. 19 game at the Los Angeles Lakers. Guard/forward Will Barton will move back to the bench, with recently acquired guard Devin Harris, big man Mason Plumlee and Lyles as the other primary reserves. The Nuggets’ 10th man will depend on matchups and game scenarios, Malone said.

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Millsap’s return most directly impacts Lyles, who began the season out of the rotation but emerged as a valuable contributor in Millsap’s absence. Lyles played just five minutes and did not score in Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers, by far his least-productive outing since Millsap’s injury. Malone’s message to Lyles, though, has been that his minutes will again become more consistent once Millsap resumes his starting role.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” said Lyles, who is averaging 10.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 39.6 percent from 3-point range in 56 games. “But (while) playing behind an all-star power forward, you gotta take what you can get. Now that he’s back, I realize that.

“I’m not happy with it, but I’m gonna do the best that I can for the team and try help them win and be a good teammate and be a professional.”

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