Will Gary Harris' likely return mitigate Michael Malone's main concern?

Denver Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris participated in contact portions of practice Wednesday and hopes to play Friday versus the New Orleans Pelicans.

“Just taking it day-by-day,” Harris said in regards to the shoulder soreness that he started experiencing during Denver’s 102-94 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder last week. “Went through practice today and if everything goes good, I want to play on Friday.”

Harris played 36 minutes against the Thunder and didn’t start experiencing discomfort until halftime. The 23-year-old iced his shoulder after the game but couldn’t lift it at all that night. It improved on Saturday with treatment, X-rays came back negative, and Harris participated in Denver’s first practice since their 17-point loss in Portland on Monday.

“I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t play on Friday night,” Nuggets’ coach Michael Malone said, noting that forward Juancho Hernangomez, who recently got over a bout with mononucleosis that kept him sidelined for ten games, practiced on Wednesday as well and expectedly looked a bit rusty.

Harris, who’s averaging 12.4 points on 48.0 percent shooting from the field and 44.1 percent from three, to go with 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists, was sorely missed in Portland. While Denver had one of their better offensive games versus Orlando without Harris two days earlier, the Nuggets struggled to execute in the half-court against the Trail Blazers.

Denver scored just 82 points in Portland — their lowest scoring output since the Nuggets tallied 81 points in Utah on Feb. 3, 2016, and “didn’t have great ball movement,” according to Malone. Both of Denver’s point guards Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay failed to register an assist and as a team, the Nuggets handed out just 13 assists on 30 made field goals.

Denver missed Harris’ synergy with Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap and only made 275 passes as a team versus the Trail Blazers per NBA.com, down from their season average of 297.4 over the Nuggets’ first 13 regular-season games.

But Malone’ main concern isn’t Denver’s offense, which according to CleaningTheGlass.com scored just 0.62 points per possession in the half-court against Portland, good for the single worst mark from any team in a game this season. Earlier last week versus Orlando, the Nuggets scored 1.18 points per possession in the half-court — a performance that placed in the 98th percentile league-wide.

Denver’s coach is more worried about turnovers after the Nuggets gave the ball away 20 times in Portland. Murray finished with six and Jokic, Millsap, and Mudiay had three apiece. On the season all four are averaging more than two turnovers per game. As a former point guard, the giveaways weigh heavy on Malone’s mind.

“My No. 1 concern for this team right now is definitely our turnovers. I had to stop practice today and get on guys because (if) it happens in practice, it’s going to happen in games and we were throwing the ball all over the practice court today,” Malone said referencing a sloppy Wednesday scrimmage. “We’re 29th still in points given up off our mistakes.”

The Nuggets are gifting opponents 20.6 points per game off turnovers.

“Secondly, would be three-point defense and yes our half-court execution has to get better when we’re not getting up and down and scoring 120 points and forced to play a half-court, physical, grind-it-out-game,” Malone continued, adding that Denver has won games this season when they’ve scored  less than 100 points — something they didn’t do a year ago.

Getting Harris back will also stabilize Denver’s bench, which “had no pop” per Malone versus the Trail Blazers.

Will Barton, who’s enjoying a career-year as the Nuggets’ sixth-man was thrust into the starting lineup due to Harris’ absence and while the 26-year-old is more than capable in that role, Denver’s bench was lacking without their heart and soul. Portland shot above 50 percent from the field against Denver.

“The biggest area where we missed Gary Harris was from a defensive standpoint,” Malone said. “I think Gary’s a terrific defensive player and Will Barton is much improved from last year, and that’s not a knock on Will Barton by any means. But if you’re going to ask me ‘where do we miss Gary Harris the most?’ We miss him on the defensive end of the floor.”

“He’s a vital piece to our team. What he brings defensively, the way he gets up and down the open court, the way he makes shots and he always makes the right play,” Barton said of Harris. “So I want him back out there. I love playing with him and you always want your core to stay together. However, as long as he’s out, I’ll be ready to step up for him and have his back.”

Harris will be needed on both ends of the floor Friday versus DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, former Nugget Jameer Nelson and the Pelicans, who bring a top-15 offense and defense to Denver.