Losing Gary Harris was an even bigger deal than originally thought

In their seven-point loss Saturday to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Denver Nuggets scored just 94 points and registered only 17 assists on 32 made baskets. The 94 points were the fewest Denver had scored in a game in nearly two months. The 17 assists were tied for the fourth-fewest total the Nuggets have tallied in a game this season.

It’s no coincidence that in the loss — and in two of the five games this season where Denver handed out fewer than 15 assists – the Nuggets were without starting shooting guard Gary Harris. The 6-foot-4 wing, who Nuggets coach Michael Malone has referred to as his team’s “MVP” and “most complete basketball player” this season, was also missing from Denver’s lineup Nov. 13 in Portland when the Nuggets tied a season-low in assists with 13.

Denver was without marquee free agent signing Paul Millsap for 44 games. The went 24-20 in those games because of an offense centered around Nikola Jokic and Harris, the player second in command. 

Denver’s offense fell apart Saturday without Harris. Harris is lethal in the dribble-hand-offs and has developed a reliable game off the dribble this season. He’s also Denver’s best off-ball cutter; the 1.44 points per possession Harris is scoring off that action this season puts him in the 81st percentile league-wide.

Without him, Denver’s halfcourt offense struggled and appeared to be stuck in slow motion. The Nuggets average roughly 300 passes per game, per Synergy. Against the Memphis, they completed 282.

Denver scored just 79.9 points per 100 plays in the halfcourt, per CleaningTheGlass.com. That mark placed the Nuggets in the 12th percentile this season. On the year, Denver averages 93.4 points per 100 halfcourt plays.

The Nuggets especially missed Harris late in the fourth quarter against Memphis. After Paul Millsap’s fortuitous layup dropped with 2:47 remaining to trim the Grizzlies’ lead to two points with 2:47 remaining, the Nuggets shot blanks on their final six scoring chances. Denver missed its last four field goal attempts and committed two turnovers down the stretch Saturday.

On the season, Harris is one of the Nuggets’ most reliable scorers in what NBA.com defines as “clutch” situations — when there are less than five minutes left in a game and the margin is five points or fewer. Harris is shooting 43.6 percent on field goals and 35.0 percent from three in those circumstances. He’s tied with Will Barton for the most clutch field-goal attempts; both have attempted 39.

“Ever since he hit that shot against Oklahoma City, he has confidence in those late-game situations,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said earlier this month.

Without Harris, the Nuggets still should have beat the Grizzlies who came into Saturday’s matchup with a 19-game losing streak. Denver shot an uncharacteristic 36.8 percent from the field — the fourth-worst Denver has shot in a game this season — and converted just nine of its 33 three-point attempts. Denver also shot 17-44 (38.6 percent) on uncontested field goals, per NBA.com.

Denver’s free-flowing halfcourt offense is built on a read-and-react philosophy where the Nuggets rely on their high-IQ guards and wings to play off Jokic. Denver’s star big man is at the center of its attack, but Harris is the Nuggets’ second-most integral chess piece.

Harris may not return to Denver’s lineup until next week, and the Nuggets still have six games remaining on a season-defining road trip. When Denver returns home on April 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Nuggets, who woke up Monday morning 1 1/2 games out of the eighth seed, could be further out of the playoff picture.

The Nuggets will have to find a way to recapture their offensive identity without Harris. Their season might depend on it.