Rudy Fernandez expected to miss rest of regular season

The Denver Nuggets say reserve Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez (R) will undergo surgery on his lower back that will sideline him for the rest of the NBA regular season.

The team did not announce a date for the procedure.

Fernandez has been bothered by a strained lower back that caused him to miss a dozen games this season. He recently returned to the lineup, only to have the ailment surface again in a contest against Dallas last Monday. It led to more tests and further evaluation.

The 26-year-old Fernandez averaged 8.6 points and 2.4 assists for the Nuggets. He was acquired, along with Corey Brewer, in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 13.

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