Denver needs old Harris for offense to get right
Two years ago, Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris was on a steady upward trajectory that saw him play his way to the fringes of all-star consideration.
With last year’s frustrating, injury-marred season behind him, it appeared Harris was primed for a bounce-back year. But through 23 games, though his defense has been unassailable, his offense has been curiously underwhelming.
As Denver’s offense idled over the first quarter of the season, observers tried to pin it on Nikola Jokic’s roller-coaster play or a roster bloated with so much talent that it was hard for guys to find their rhythm. But Harris, save for his rookie season, is logging career lows in shot attempts (9.7), field goal percentage (42%), points (10.9) and free throws (1.5 attempts per game).
Fortunately, there are signs that both he and the Nuggets’ 18th-ranked offense are thawing. Over the last seven games, Harris is averaging 12.4 points and knocking down nearly 43% of his 3-pointers.
Following Denver’s win over
Portland, when Harris had 15 points and three of the Nuggets’ 18 3-pointers, he reflected a confidence that coach Michael Malone has tried to implant in his players.
“If you’ve got open shots, you’ve got to take them,” Harris said.
Before the game, Malone dissected Harris’ play through the lens of the Nuggets’ opponents.
“Yeah, it’s funny, you kind of look at how teams have guarded Gary,” Malone said. “Do they chase him on dribble handoffs, pick-and-rolls, or do they go under (screens)? When they go under, he’s got to be aggressive and commit to his shot.”
It’s the same message Malone has been hammering over the past week in regards to the entire offense. Get into the offense early, play aggressive, step into shots and don’t bypass good looks for the chance at great ones.
“Once he starts knocking that shot down consistently, that forces the chase over and that to me is when Gary’s at his best, getting downhill, attacking, getting to the basket,” Malone said.
In other words, the foundation of Harris’ game rests in his aggressiveness. If teams go under screens, essentially daring him to shoot, he’s got to make them pay. And if they go over the screen, that sets off a chain reaction where Harris has to barge his way toward the basket.
It’s the latter instance where Harris has shown a strange lack of confidence, routinely settling for floaters instead of barreling his way through contact. Last year, almost 45% of his points came in the paint. This year, that number is down to 34%.
Even more revealing, on shots from 10 to 14 feet, Harris is making just 28% of his attempts. That number was at a robust 46% last season.
No one could blame him if there was residual caution after a spate of core injuries derailed his 2018-19 season. But the reality is the Nuggets need Harris attacking, probing and hoisting his shot if their offense is going to hum like it did last season.