DENVER — Starting power forward Kenneth Faried, who’s missed the Nuggets’ last three games with back spasms, is not expected back in the next couple of days, according to Michael Malone.

“He’s in some pain,” Malone said. “He didn’t travel with us on that two-game road trip. He’s still in rough shape. I’m not expecting him to come back in the next couple of days.”

In Faried’s absence, Wilson Chandler has started at the four for Denver with Juancho Hernangomez seeing minutes with the second unit. The Nuggets are on a four-game homestand where they’ll host Charlotte Saturday, then Sacramento, Washington, and Boston before setting out on the road to play the Kings. The Nuggets then return home and host the Lakers, Clippers, and Rockets.

“The back is a tricky thing as we all know,” Malone said. “Hopefully, with the treatment he’s getting, at some point it will turn and get better. But as of right now he’s in rough shape.”

In 49 games this season (29 starts), Faried is averaging 9.7 points and 7.9 rebounds in a career-low 22.0 minutes per game.