Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. will remain out for the final two games of the team's West Coast trip against the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz, head coach Jacque Vaughn said Thursday.

“It's just been too many days that he's been off the court for him to ramp back up to join us on the West Coast. It wouldn't make sense,” Vaughn said. “So he will not join us for the rest of this West Coast trip.”

Smith Jr. was sidelined by an upper back sprain for Brooklyn's road matchups with the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns before being ruled out Thursday against the Denver Nuggets.

After missing six games from Nov. 19-30 due to a lower back sprain, the offseason minimum signing was among the Nets' most productive players during recent wins over the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks. Smith averaged 11.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals on 53 percent shooting during the pair of victories.

After revitalizing his career as a defensive stopper with the Charlotte Hornets last season, the 25-year-old's presence at the point-of-attack has provided a significant boost for a Nets team that has disappointed on that end this season. Brooklyn ranks 19th in defensive rating, allowing 114 points per game.

Smith ranked in the 99th percentile among NBA players in defensive estimated plus-minus last season, per DunksandThrees.com. The Nets have posted a 109.07 defensive rating during his minutes, per PBP Stats, which would rank fourth among NBA defenses. Without him, that number jumps to 117.43, the league's seventh-worst mark.

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Smith's next chance to return will come when Brooklyn plays host to the crosstown rival New York Knicks on Dec. 20.