The Nuggets (12-10) will host the Clippers in a make-up game Friday after both teams, which have already seen each other twice this season, were eliminated early from the NBA Cup.

In the meantime, Denver has an unusual stretch of four days between games for the second time in as many months. The team returned from a three-game road trip late Sunday night and had a “blackout day” on Monday, meaning players and staff were to stay home and stay away from the arena. On Tuesday, players came in for individual treatment and PD work.

“It’s so weird. This week, two games in seven days. Next week, two in seven. And then the Grinch comes out; we play five in seven the week of Christmas,” Malone said. “So when you know that, you have to be smart about the approach. … Today, we got after it.”

Murray (right hamstring inflammation) has missed the last two games — both ends of a back-to-back that Denver split last weekend in Washington and Atlanta.

“There are three areas we really have to continue to focus on (defensively): transition, paint and rebounding. Those three areas are just really hurting us,” Malone said.

The Nuggets’ emphasis in their first full-fledged practice of the week, unsurprisingly, was defense. They rank 16th in the league in points allowed per 100 possessions, whereas their offense is seventh.

Defensive rebounding in particular resurfaced as a major issue on the road. Denver allowed 34 offensive boards combined in the back-to-back. Opponents are averaging 15.5 second-chance points per game. Only the Wizards and Thunder are allowing more.

Missing games hasn’t been an issue for Christian Braun in his first three NBA seasons, but the Denver Nuggets’ first-year starter is learning just how demanding it is being an every-night starter. He’s leaned on Russell Westbrook, DeAndre Jordan and Nikola Jokic for help.