The Denver Nuggets managed to hand the Toronto Raptors a rare loss, but starting shooting guard Gary Harris left the court after nine minutes of play in the first quarter of Monday night's rousing 106-103 win. Harris is set to receive an MRI after suffering a groin injury and missing the rest of the game.
Harris blew past Kyle Lowry and attempted an underhand scoop layup against Serge Ibaka before landing awkwardly, automatically reaching for his groin area after the contact:
Gary Harris (right hip injury) will get an MRI tomorrow, I’m told. He left the game in the first quarter after getting injured on this play. @BSNDenver pic.twitter.com/c3R4Gnj1pf
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) December 4, 2018
“The one thing I feel awful about is Gary Harris,” Nuggets coach Mike Malone said afterward, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. “Definitely keep Gary in our thoughts.
“He's frustrated, just getting back from an injury, and to have that [and] not be able to come back in tonight. We'll see how severe the injury is, and hopefully we can get him back really soon. But Gary's such a big part of what we're trying to do. Big loss.”
Harris will get the imaging done in Orlando, as the Nuggets travel to face the Magic on Wednesday. The Michigan State product recently came back from missing two games last week due to a sore left ankle, stemming from Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers in which he put up 27 points in 36 minutes and a go-ahead 3-pointer with 16.5 seconds remaining to power Denver to a 113-112 win.
Backup Malik Beasley filled in for Gary Harris for the rest of the Nuggets' win over the Raptors, finishing with 15 points in 28 minutes and a clutch 3-pointer late in the fourth to help seal the victory.