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In what is a must-win game for the Denver Nuggets, the team will welcome back one of their most important players in Gary Harris.
Harris injured his right knee with a strain/sprain against the Detroit Pistons on March 15, and has been out since that date. Since his absence, the Nuggets have gone 7-4, and are on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris (right knee sprain) is likely to return vs. Portland tonight, league sources tell ESPN. He's missed 11 consecutive games with injury.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 9, 2018
While the Nuggets have been winning all their games lately, they haven’t been getting any help from the other teams in the Western Conference. They have to beat the Trail Blazers and the Timberwolves to control their destiny and make the playoffs - if they did so, they’d wind up as either the five or six seed.
It’s not difficult to understand what the Nuggets are facing. Here’s a simple explanation from Matt Moore:
Easiest way to describe Denver’s situation, after talking to @ginamizell:
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 9, 2018
- Denver wins out, they’re in.
- If Denver loses at least one game and everyone else in the race wins at least one game, it’s over.
So please, Denver, win this game, and don’t put yourself in a situation where Jusuf Nurkic is going to eliminate the Nuggets from the playoffs.
Read Zach Mikash on tonight’s game and Ryan Blackburn’s preview for the game.