DENVER — Kenneth Faried, who missed Monday game in Golden State with low back pain, will not play for the Nuggets tonight versus the Sacramento Kings.

“I think Darrell my be able to go. Kenneth I think is a lot more doubtful than that,” Michael Malone said pregame of his frontcourt. “I thought Jokic and Nurkic were terrific last night and to get at least Darrell Arthur back and get one more big body to use against a guy like DeMarcus. We’re going to need all those bodies and all those fouls.”

Faried’s injury occurred after Denver’s home loss to Philadelphia back on Dec. 30. The 27-year-old played 12 minutes, went 1-4 from the field, scored six points and grabbed six rebounds.

“It was the next day,” Malone said of when Faried back started to bother him. “His back was hurting him. He’s been getting treatment around the clock trying to get back, obviously, he’s had back problems in the past and you want to be smart with it. You don’t want to throw him out there and make the injury worse.”

“I think he’s a tightly wound, explosive athlete, and I think that’s where some of his issues may lie,” Malone continued. “But again, I’m not a doctor, I’m not a trainer and I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn last night. I really don’t know what the root cause is. He’s out, looks like he may be out again tonight, and hopefully, we can get him back as soon as possible.”

With Faried out for a second consecutive game, Jusuf Nurkic, who played 21 minutes, scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in Denver’s 127-119 loss against the Warriors Monday, is expected to have an increased role once again.

Footnotes

Ty Lawson (blurred vision) and Rudy Gay (right hip flexor strain) will not play for Sacramento.