The Denver Nuggets knocked off the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday night to get a much-needed win. A big factor in getting the W was the return of guard Gary Harris.
Harris has missed a majority of the season to date with foot and groin injuries, but made his return to the hardwood, recording 18 points, six assists, and four rebounds.
His impact was felt, and was the main reason the Nuggets were able to prevail.
“The main thing is we came out with a lot of energy,” Harris said after the game. “And our bench came back had a lot of energy as well, and we were able to finish it down the stretch.”
Harris is a humble player; he loves to give his teammates all credit, but even the guys in the locker room know that Harris gives the team the competitive edge they need.
“He is the glue guy,” center Nikola Jokic said. “He does everything on the court. I am really glad he is back; we had really good chemistry last year.”
Harris’ defense is a coach’s dream for Malone. Harris adds a ton of consistency to a Nuggets team that has lacked stability throughout the season so far.
“As I told Gary, we missed him a lot,” Malone said. “He’s a tough player to replace … I’m thrilled to have him back.”
Harris is critical to the Nuggets moving forward.The road ahead of the Nuggets is a tough one as Denver tries to overcome a 7-16 start, but having a healthy Gary Harris will make things much easier for this Nuggets team.
