Nuggets big man Chris Andersen has a small fracture in a lower left vertebra and will miss 10-14 days.

Andersen left Denver's game on Friday night with what was diagnosed as a bruised lower back. He blocked six shots against the Clippers before suffering the injury.

"I think everybody knows and feels and sees what he adds to our defensive dimension," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Band-aiding that up we can do — but would rather not.

"I'm just hoping he gets healthy and feels better. I'm not sure that we can continue to sustain our size factor, but we've tricked-it-up for 19 games. Why not another five, six or seven more?"

Andersen missed the first 13 games of the season while rehabbing from offseason surgery on his right patella tendon.