Harris could be out “for another week, at least”

CITY» The injury OKLAHOMA prognosis for Nuggets secondleading scorer Gary Harris took a downturn Friday, as coach Michael Malone said before Denver’s game against the Thunder that he did not “foresee (Harris) playing for another week, at least” because of a knee injury that has kept him out for the past seven games.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to see him for a while,” Malone said. “Just being completely honest. Obviously, I’m not a doctor, but in talking to our training staff, Gary has been working hard to get back, but I think he is still a ways away.

“It’s obviously unfortunate, because Gary is such an integral part of our team on both ends and what we’re trying to do. You couldn’t pick a worse time of the year for Gary Harris to be out, which is unfortunate, because it’s killing him not to be out there.”

Harris’ late-season injury has put a dent in the postseason hopes for the Nuggets, who had lost four of their last six games entering Friday. After the Oklahoma City game, the Nuggets return home for games against Milwaukee on Sunday, Indiana on Tuesday and Minnesota on Thursday. Denver then plays the Clippers in Los Angeles on April 7, hosts Portland on April 9 and finishes the regular season April 11 at Minnesota.

Harris, who is averaging 17.7 points per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the floor, including 39.9 percent from 3-point range, suffered his injury when he landed awkwardly on his right leg after being fouled on a made dunk late in the fourth quarter of a March 15 home win against Detroit. Malone publicly lamented the timing of the injury; the reason Harris was on the floor at the time is because the Pistons had rapidly sliced a 26-point deficit to a single digit.

“I get so angry that we allowed a 26-point lead against Detroit to slip away that we had to put those guys back in,” Malone said last week. “That should have never been the case.”

Harris has gone through shooting work and other rehab exercises during shootarounds and before recent games on this road trip, which was the longest of the season. But Malone has expressed concern about Harris’ inability to run consistently.

Will Barton, who was averaging 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and three assists per game on Denver’s road trip before Friday’s game, again started in Harris’ place at shooting guard.