Denver Nuggets: Gary Harris in-depth 2019-20 projections
By James Siegle
Scoring:
Harris averaged 12.9 points per game last year, but this is somewhat of a folly stat. Every fan knows the story behind Harris’ 2018-19 season, as nagging injuries disrupted his rhythm. He was never fully healthy, even when active.
A better gauge of Harris’ offensive abilities lies in 2017-18 when he averaged 17.5 points per game on an efficient 48.5 percent shooting. As previously mentioned, Murray jumped into the second scorer role last season, partly accounting for the dip in Harris’ numbers.
This doesn’t mean Harris wasn’t missed, as last year’s high-scoring affairs usually resulted in a Nuggets victory. Take a look:
When Harris…
- Scored 17 points or better: Denver’s record was 11-3
- Made 7 or more field goals: Denver’s record was 11-4
He is projected to average 15.6 points per game in 2019-20 assuming he is healthy. Due to Murray’s rise, he won’t meet his 17.5 mark of old, but it’s reasonable to expect a jump from last year.
Harris better resembled himself in the postseason, averaging 14.2 points per game on 46.2 percent shooting. Hopefully, this carries over, and he eventually climbs back to his 2017-18 level.