Nuggets Film Room: Gary Harris closes down Tim Hardaway Jr's airspace

The Denver Nuggets’ third-quarter surge against the New York Knicks was highlighted by Gary Harris‘ defense and without his efforts, the Nuggets wouldn’t have been able to overcome their 22-point halftime deficit.

In the third quarter, the Nuggets forced 12 turnovers and Harris recorded three steals — four if you count this take away that the 23-year-old was responsible for mid-way through the period.

Harris took a leap with his production on offense in his third season but in order for him to jump up a tier in shooting guards across the league, his defense needed to become elite. That’s what we’ve seen this season as Harris is averaging 1.7 steals per game — the highest mark on Denver’s roster — and his 2.3 steal percentage ranks him in 83rd percentile league-wide.

The key to this defensive possession is how Harris closes down Tim Hardaway Jr’s airspace in order to force the turnover. Look closely and you can tell the exact moment when Hardaway gets a tad sloppy with his dribble and Harris goes for the steal.

Once Hardaway’s dribble gets slightly away from him Harris pounces. Then, Harris gets his hand on the ball slightly, forces the Knicks’ guard into a relief dribble and backs him into a corner against the sideline and halfcourt.

Harris then forces the turnover.

The shooting guard is a key cog in the Nuggets’ revamped and more aggressive defensive scheme and a huge reason why Denver has vaulted up the league’s defensive charts this season. After ending last year as one of the league’s worst defensive units, the Nuggets currently rank 18th through seven games.