THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER -- Denver Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups will miss two games to give his strained left groin time to heal.

Billups injured the groin on Dec. 16 against Houston and sat out three straight games. The all-star point guard returned on Christmas Day at Portland, but didn't play in the second half.

The Nuggets said in an injury update report Sunday that the move was "not a setback" and the goal was to avoid a "lingering problem."

Denver hosts Dallas on Sunday and then travels to Sacramento the following night. The Nuggets will then be off for the next four days, before travelling to Utah on Jan. 2.

Billups is averaging 17.1 points and 5.7 assists this season.