:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/5165106/136527029.jpg)
The Denver Nuggets, fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, lost some of their depth on Thursday as backup SG Rudy Fernandez was shut down for the remainder of the 2011-12 season:
#Nuggets reserve G Rudy Fernandez to undergo back surgery, likely to miss remainder of regular season. on.nba.com/GJCEFC
— Denver Nuggets (@denvernuggets) March 22, 2012
Fernandez had played in 31 games for the Nuggets in his first season in Denver, averaging about 23 minutes per game and 8.6 points and 2.4 assists per game. The fourth-year guard out of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, has only started 10 games in his career, but was a valuable asset last February, scoring double-digit points five times from the bench.
With Fernandez out, the team may lean more heavily on reserve SG Corey Brewer.
For more on the Denver basketball team, drop by the Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs. And be sure to drop by the SB Nation NBA news hub for updates and analysis from around the league.