Nuggets could be down two starters Sunday vs. Bucks

Denver Nuggets starting shooting guard Gary Harris (right knee sprain/strain) will miss his eighth consecutive game Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks and Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Friday that Harris is “still a ways away” from returning to the lineup.

The Nuggets could be without an additional starter as well in their first home game following a season-long seven-game road trip where Denver went 3-4.

Small forward Wilson Chandler, who’s started 66 of the 69 games he’s appeared in for Denver this season, was diagnosed with a nasal fracture following a collision in the second quarter of Denver’s 126-125 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday night. Chandler is officially listed as questionable against the Bucks.

Chandler exited the game with three minutes and 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter after Russell Westbrook’s elbow connected with his nose on a drive to the basket. He did not return to the game. Video of the play is below.

In the 23 minutes he played Friday, Chandler scored two points on 1-6 shooting to go with seven rebounds. He held All-Star Paul George to just 13 points on 4-12 shooting.

If Chandler isn’t able to go Sunday, two-way player Torrey Craig could be in line for more minutes. Craig played 16 minutes against the Thunder and finished with five points and five rebounds. Nuggets coach Michael Malone is a fan of Craig’s play on the defensive end of the floor.

Devin Harris also picked up the slack for Chandler in Oklahoma City and played 34 minutes off Denver’s bench as the Nuggets went to a variety of three-guard looks with Harris, Jamal Murray and Will Barton all sharing the backcourt. That could continue against Milwaukee if Chandler is sidelined.

After their win over the Thunder, the Nuggets trail both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz by two games for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference.