SHOOTING GUARD HARRIS RETURNS FROM SORE SHOULDER

The Nuggets’ health got a boost Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans with the return of starting shooting guard Gary Harris, who had missed the previous two games with right shoulder soreness.

Harris entered the game averaging 12.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game and is Denver’s best perimeter defender.

Will Barton had started in Harris’ place the past two games. Barton is averaging 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

Finch helping New Orleans. When the Pelicans added DeMarcus Cousins to pair with fellow all-star Anthony Davis during last season’s all-star break, coach Alvin Gentry wanted to implement an offensive system that also turned those big men into “decision-makers and facilitators.”

So this offseason Gentry hired former Nuggets assistant Chris Finch, who helped develop Denver’s offense that flows through budding star center Nikola Jokic. Gentry said he was impressed with how the Nuggets used both Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic before trading Nurkic to the Portland Trail Blazers.

“(Finch) did a good job of having those two guys play in space but not get in each other’s way,” Gentry said after the Pelicans’ shootaround. “I really wanted him on our team, and I worked really hard to try to make that happen.”

Malone said he noticed “some” similarities between the Pelicans’ current offensive system and what Denver runs. New Orleans entered Friday’s games ranked 10th in the NBA in scoring (108 points per game), with Cousins (28 points, 13.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists) and Davis (25.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists) anchoring the attack.

“They’re smart to feature those guys,” Malone said. He added: “Those two are a load, and you could easily make the case that they’re the most talented frontcourt in the NBA. They’re still trying to, I think, kind of find themselves offensively.

“Some games, you watch them, and they look great. Other times, it looks like they’re still trying to figure it out a little bit, which I think you can say for a lot of teams in the NBA right now.”