Nets center Nic Claxton, forward Joe Harris and forward Kevin...

Nets center Nic Claxton, forward Joe Harris and forward Kevin Durant react against the Trail Blazers in the second half of an NBA game at Barclays Center on Nov. 27. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

Jacque Vaughn was never worried about Joe Harris.

The Nets’ coach was convinced that his sharpshooter eventually would start hitting his target. Even during a miserable four-game stretch a few weeks ago in which Harris shot 3-for-24 and was taken out of the starting lineup, Vaughn was impressed by the way he was handling his struggles.

“You just love that he’s a teammate of yours,” Vaughn said. “I think when we first talked about it, I was extremely confident that Joe would eventually start making shots. It’s because his preparation is professional, because his approach is professional.

“It’s because he cares about the other teammates more than himself, and he shows that by being in the right position defensively. The biggest thing is sacrificing his body and boxing out. It’s the little things that don’t show up in the stat sheet . . . It was a matter of time and he’s still got some room where he’ll make some more shots for us.”

Harris, who missed most of last season after undergoing two ankle surgeries, started his third straight game Sunday and had 13 points and six rebounds in the Nets’ 103-92 loss to the Celtics.

In his previous three games — all Nets wins — Harris scored 17, 14 and 17 points and shot 16-for-29. In the Nets’ win over Toronto on Friday, he was 6-for-8, including 5-for-7 from three-point range.

Notes & quotes: Ben Simmons missed his third straight game with a calf injury. He is scheduled to be reevaluated before the Nets host Charlotte on Wednesday . . . Yuta Watanabe (hamstring) missed his eighth straight game. He also is scheduled to be reevaluated before Wednesday’s game . . . Edmund Sumner, who left Friday’s game with a glute contusion, also did not play Sunday . . . Boston’s Marcus Smart, who scored 18 points in a loss to the Heat on Friday, sat out the Nets game with a left hip contusion.

More Brooklyn Nets

Newsday LogoSUBSCRIBEUnlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 5 months
ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME