LOS ANGELES -- Denver Nuggets stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will sit out for a second consecutive game Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers as they continue to nurse nagging injuries, the team announced.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone said during his pregame media availability that Christian Braun, who also missed Monday's win over the Golden State Warriors due to left foot inflammation, will play against the Lakers and that Jokic and Murray were "much more questionable."

Murray, who has a sprained right ankle, struggled to move during a brief one-on-one matchup with Denver assistant coach John Beckett more than two hours before tipoff. Jokic, the three-time MVP, is dealing with left ankle impingement and a contusion to his right, shooting elbow.

"You listen to your body," Malone said. "I have to, as a head coach, trust our players as well as trust the training staff."

Malone took issue with the perception that the Nuggets are opting to rest Jokic and Murray, especially against teams that they are competing against for Western Conference playoff seeding.

"I think that's just a bunch of bulls---," Malone said. "I mean, in the last 10 years, Nikola Jokic has played the second-most games in the NBA. Ten years. And the guys in that top 10, none of them are superstars.

"So if Nikola is not playing, it's not because he's sitting. It's not because he needs rest. It's because he's hurt and he's trying to play through things that most wouldn't. We're at a point right now where we have to do what's best for not just Nikola, but for all our guys, as we move forward and try to close out this season."