The Charlotte Hornets' playoff chances may have taken a serious blow.
Point guard Kemba Walker tore his lateral meniscus in his left knee and underwent successful surgery Wednesday, according to team officials. He will be out six to eight weeks, reports ESPN.
The lateral meniscus is a crescent-shaped band of thick, rubbery cartilage that acts as a shock absorber and stabilizes the knee. It is located on the outside of the knee.
A torn meniscus is usually the result of trauma caused by forceful twisting or overflexing of the knee joint.
Walker has led a struggling offense all season, averaging a team-high 18.8 points, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has carried the team while fellow stars Lance Stephenson and Al Jefferson have missed time with their own injuries.
Charlotte (19-27) currently sits at the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Many fans believed that, with Stephenson as a new acquisition, the team would take a step forward and compete for home-field advantage in the first round.
With the team’s leading scorer out, Charlotte will have to fight off Brooklyn, Boston and Detroit down the stretch.
If Walker does return in six weeks, he would come back with just over a moth remaining until the NBA playoffs.
