Gary Harris was one of the Nuggets’ best success stories this season. From improved shooting to timely defensive plays, he was challenged to step up his game in his second season, and he did.
First, the baseline stats: Harris averaged 12.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He was the Nuggets most consistent shooter, making 46.9 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from the 3-point line.
Harris barely played as a rookie but new Nuggets coach Michael Malone dialed up the volume, with Harris logging 2,439 minutes after getting just 719 as a rookie.
“It’s all about progressing,” Harris said. “Getting more comfortable, being more comfortable out there.”
Offense: Offensively, Harris got more productive as the season wore on.
“I was just figuring out times when I could be aggressive and times when I could hunt for my shot,” he said. “Teammates helped get me in spots where I could score the ball.”
But getting himself in spots where he could score was the foundation of his success. Harris was the team’s best cutter. He was very good at losing his defender to find spots along the perimeter to shoot. His best contributions on offense were in transition, however.
Harris’ 1.22 points per possession in transition was among the best in the NBA, and he shot 62.1 percent in transition opportunities, according to Synergy stats, thanks in large part to getting steals and run outs.
Harris has sneaky good explosion to the rim and showed he can finish with dunks. He displayed a good handle in the open court and incorporated “eurosteps” to help get him past defenders and to the rim. Harris was good finishing in traffic, too, which allowed him to get buckets even with defenders all over him.
On rebounds, Harris many times was a one-man fast break. He’d snatch the rebound, sprint the ball up court and attack the rim. The only area in transition where he can show marked improvement is in his 3-point shot. Harris had a number of opportunities to knock down 3-point shots as the trailer on the fast break but didn’t convert a high percentage.
Because the Nuggets didn’t run a lot of plays designed to get him a shot, especially early in the season, Harris’s movement was essential. He got the majority of his shots in spot-up situations (26.5 percent) and transition (21.4), according to Synergy.
Malone is in search of efficiency on offense and Harris gave him that. His 1.017 points per possession in total offense ranked in the top 15 percent of the NBA, according to Synergy.
Defense/turnovers: Harris entered the league with the reputation of being a lock-down defender. Film review didn’t show Harris to be that, but it did illuminate a couple of things.
First, he has some of the quickest hands in the NBA. His 97 steals led the Nuggets and ranked 33rd in the NBA. He was good at digging at the ball without fouling and many times getting a deflection or steal. His hands were always active, and he was good at coming off his own man to swipe at the ball and then jump back to his man.
Harris was solid in isolation defense, where opponents only shot 36.1 percent against him. Harris was also learning the nightly physical commitment of what it takes to be a top-flight defender and still produce on offense. It isn’t easy. He admitted his body wore down at times, but now he knows what to expect and how to prepare.
Harris’s most common turnover was a bad pass and a number of them (14 percent) came when he was the ball handler in pick-and-roll plays. He also sprinkled in some offensive fouls in fast break situations but for the most part, Harris is a solid ballhandler.
The hard question the Nuggets must ask in reference to Harris is: How much more improvement is left in him? Per 36 stats are a good indicator of what a player could potentially do with more time on the court, but Harris played 32.1 minutes per game, so his Per 36 stats are virtually the same as his base numbers. What that means is production growth has to come with increased shooting opportunities. There is plenty of room for him to take more than the 10.1 shots he averaged during the season, but will the Nuggets allow him to hoist more up? And if he does, can he maintain as high a shooting percentage?
If the answers to those questions are both yes, the Nuggets would be in possession of the NBA’s best shooting guards.
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or @dempsey
