WASHINGTON D.C. – There was no mistaking the spring in Paul Millsap’s step.

It wasn’t arrogance that led him to a bouncing, back-pedaling waddle as he willed in a clutch and-1 jumper a week ago against Indiana; it was jubilance.

Freed from the burden of overthinking, Millsap broke from his typically stoic demeanor and danced the ball down the net. Millsap was so out of his element that his youthful bounce drew genuine are-you-kidding-me grins from teammates Jamal Murray and Monte Morris, both more than 10 years younger than the Nuggets’ veteran power forward.

Millsap draws a foul on a short drive, then does a little shimmy dance that @ScottHastings dubs "The Penguin." #Nuggets @Paulmillsap4 pic.twitter.com/4ko9rmlXAs — Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) March 17, 2019

“I love this game, it’s a fun game to me and it’s always evolving,” he said shortly after sinking the game-winner against Indiana. “So I gotta evolve with it.”

Millsap is in a better place mentally and physically than he was during an arduous first half of the season. In the immediate future, he has his eye trained on the postseason and helping the Nuggets weather the wave of emotions of the upcoming playoff run. But even in the midst of a frenzied race for the No. 1 seed, Millsap has considered the promise of Denver’s future and wants to be a part of it.

“I could see myself being here long-term, for the rest of my career,” he told The Denver Post. “I can see this organization and this group of guys making a nice play at the championship. I feel like there’s a lot of youth, a lot of growth that can be made and you add that on top of what we’ve done this season with experience and you’ve got yourself a championship-caliber team. Definitely want to be a part of that, but I’ll deal with that when it gets there.”

Millsap is earning $30 million this season, and the Nuggets have a team option on him heading into this summer. At this point in his career, having never been to an NBA Final and with just one conference finals victory to his name, the Nuggets represent his most likely route to a ring.

“It’s something that we’ll discuss at the end of the season with management, but I want to do something that fits for everybody,” he said regarding his contract. “We’ll see.”

Millsap labored through the first half of the season. His scoring, rebounding and shooting percentages were all down. Accustomed to more from himself, he was frustrated that his body was betraying him. A fluke broken big toe kept him out for most of December and then a lingering ankle injury hindered his mobility upon his return.

No Nuggets player needed February’s week-long all-star break more than Millsap. He chilled on the beach in Miami with his family and then went to his gym in Atlanta to get right.

“Just getting away from the game, getting away from basketball was a good thing for me,” he said.

The break was as much about physically recharging as it was about resting his mind.

“Frustrated in the fact that through the injuries, my body wouldn’t let me do the things that I wanted to do,” he said. “And just not being mentally clear about what I wanted to do on the court. I had time to reflect on that, and I feel better now. … I had to reflect on myself and what I could’ve done to help this team be better.”

Now, a month after the all-star break, the Nuggets are in a dead heat with Golden State for the top seed in the conference. Since the break Millsap has been their third-leading scorer (16.2 points) and their second-leading rebounder (9.3).

With his production and confidence up, Millsap’s words have carried even more weight than they usually do. At least twice throughout a recent stretch, during tense moments in games against Oklahoma City and Washington, he summoned his teammates for a reassuring huddle.

“These moments are so invaluable,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “’Hey, man. Everybody calm down. Let’s get back to doing what we do.’ Oh, wow. It’s like EF Hutton, man. Like this guy’s talking and when he speaks, it carries such (weight)… because he picks his spots. Some guys that talk all the time, you start to tune them out a little bit. … I think he’s got a calming influence.”

His teammates sense it, too.

“I call him O.G. ‘Sap,” said Gary Harris. “He’s been around for a long time, so whenever he talks, everyone soaks it in.”

“He’s been there, done that,” said Will Barton. “Like where we’re trying to go, he’s basically done it. He’s made runs in the playoffs, he’s been top seeds. He’s like a calming (presence) out there.”

Of all of his intangibles, it’s possible his relationship with Murray may be the most valuable come playoff time. Nikola Jokic is the team’s unquestioned alpha, but Murray is their secondary release, capable of going off for 30 or cannibalizing the offense with ill-advised shots.

“Me and Paul are real close, even off the court,” Murray said. “That’s my guy. Someone that gets along with everybody, that talks when adversity hits and is silent when we’re successful.”

Murray was cooking in last week’s win over Minnesota but admitted he forced a few looks.

“He told me, ‘Just let it come to you,’” Murray said. “I asked him what he wanted, he said, ‘I don’t want it.’ ”

Millsap has 87 playoff games to his resume, by far the most of any Nuggets player. If Denver is to win a playoff series for the first time in a decade, you can trust Millsap’s part in crafting the fabric of the team and taking the pulse of the locker room.

“I wouldn’t say coach,” Millsap said. “More like a psychologist. I love it, man. That’s part of my personality. You ask my family around me, they’ll tell you the same thing. Me, helping people stay in a good state of mind, is actually what I’m good at and what I do. Translate it over to the court to these younger guys who haven’t been there before. Learning how to manage their emotions and feelings and play through adversity, I feel good about it.”