The Phoenix Suns are among the surprise teams of the season mainly due to the play of guard Eric Bledsoe, but the fourth-year player out of Kentucky is out indefinitely after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Still, the Suns expect him to be back before the end of the regular season.
"We were very pleased about the outcome of the surgery and look forward to Eric returning before the end of the season," Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby told AZCentral.com.
"It's tough," Suns guard Gerald Green said. "You lose a player like that, playing at the high level he's been playing at, it's going to be tough.This team is made for the next-man-up mentality."
The surgery marks the second time that the explosive guard went through the knife in 27 months. In 2012, he returned to the LA Clippers after four months of rehabilitating from his October 2011 surgery.
The Suns were 16-8 this season with Bledsoe and have gone 5-5 without him, putting them in seventh place in the Western Conference.
Bledsoe appeared to injure the knee on a jump shot in the fourth quarter of a Dec. 30 blowout win at the Los Angeles Clippers, his former team.
The Suns will continue to start Green in Bledsoe's absence and work newly-signed Leandro Barbosa into a rotation role at both guard spots.
"Guys are going to have to step it up," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "It's unfortunate that he's going to miss some games but I think the more they'll get used to the rotation, hopefully that'll make us better."
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