Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe out with torn meniscus

Paul Coro | The Arizona Republic

In one night, the Suns suffered a loss to a historically bad team and a personnel loss that is categorically worse.

Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe, the team’s leading scorer and playmaker, suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee during Saturday’s home loss to Philadelphia. He will undergo surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be out several weeks, although the Suns did not announce a timetable for recovery.

Bledsoe previously tore a meniscus in his right knee and had it repaired in 2011. A surgery to remove the damaged meniscus in 2014 sidelined him for more than two months at almost the same juncture of the season as this injury. Then, Bledsoe missed games from Jan. 2 to March 10.

Without knowing the results after Sunday’s practice, Suns coach Jeff Hornacek only could start preparing the team for the ultimate challenge of coming off rock bottom with Saturday’s home loss to the 2-30 76ers (minus Jahlil Okafor) and going through a four-day gauntlet against three of the NBA’s top four teams – Cleveland, San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

“We felt that all along, if something happened to one or the other, if they were missing a game or something, the other guy could be the lone point guard,” Hornacek said.

Bledsoe had been the Suns’ primary ball-handler, but that now shifts to Brandon Knight, who played almost exclusively point guard for Detroit and Milwaukee before being traded to Phoenix last season. Hornacek said rookie Devin Booker likely will be the other starting guard, as he was for the second half of his career-high 19-point game Saturday. Guard Bryce Cotton, the Tucson native, will now be on the active roster after not playing since he was signed Nov. 25 as backcourt insurance for Bledsoe’s and Knight’s health issues.

Bledsoe, 26, injured the knee during the second quarter of Saturday’s 111-104 loss. On defense, Bledsoe was chasing Philadelphia guard Ish Smith off the ball when he swerved to avoid a Robert Covington screen and collapsed to the floor after planting his left leg. He was carried off the court and did not return.

“He’s a big part of our team,” Knight said of Bledsoe. “He does a lot for us. For myself, I’ll just continue to go out and play hard every night. Whether I’m on or off the ball, I’m just trying to make the right plays and try to do whatever it takes for my team to win.”

Bledsoe returned from the other knee’s surgery to finish the 2013-14 season and play 81 games last season, only missing a game for the birth of his son. This season, Bledsoe was averaging career highs for points per game (20.4), steals per game (2.0) and turnovers per game (3.5) while tying his career high for assists per game (6.1). He was shooting 45.3 percent from the field and an improved 37.2 percent on 3-point shots in 34.2 minutes per game.

“Brandon is going to have to make the calls out there and really direct the guys,” Hornacek said. “A couple of things we did (in Sunday’s practice) will help with that. It fits more for how he plays strictly at the 1. We relied a lot on those guys coming off drags or swinging it to each other coming off the pick-and-roll. (Bledsoe’s absence) kind of takes the pick-and-roll out of it a little bit more. We’re still going to do a lot of that stuff but we’ll get into it differently so that it’s not always him (Knight) having to handle the ball and getting pressured all game long. He can get rid of it and get it back and play out of that.”

The Suns have Ronnie Price to back up Knight at point guard and can use Booker, Sonny Weems and Archie Goodwin at the off-guard spot. Booker, 19, started games previously at San Antonio and Utah but said a game like his 33-minute bench outing at Chicago has prepared him best for a larger role.

“It’s a big loss for us because Bled was the heart of our team but it gives an opportunity for other guys to step up now,” Booker said. “It’s tough for us. It’s how we respond really. We have enough veterans on this team keeping us solid. I think we’ll all be right and make a few runs.”

Despite a 12-20 record, the Suns still are two games out of playoff position. It is a difficult concept after they have lost four consecutive games to losing teams who were missing at least one starter. The Suns allow the highest opponent field goal percentage in the NBA but now have a slumping offense that has shot 39.8 percent over the past three games.

Saturday’s loss came to a Philadelphia team having the worst start in NBA history. The 76ers started a point guard who joined the team in the afternoon and did not play Okafor, their top scorer and rebounder.

“It was just the way we lost, being down 16 points (26-10) to that team,” Knight said. “We didn’t feel we should be in that situation. They’re pro athletes. We came out and didn’t play hard from the beginning and put ourselves in a hole. We were fighting back the whole game. That’s what makes it embarrassing.

“We’re trying to find ourselves. We’re trying to find a way get out of this rut. I’ve been on other teams and we just said that you can’t let go of the rope. You’ve got to continue to fight.”

Reach Paul Coro at paul.coro@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2470. Follow him at twitter.com/paulcoro.

Monday's game

Cavaliers at Suns

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena.

TV/radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7).

Cavaliers update: Cleveland (19-9) is only 6-8 on the road this season after losing 89-83 Friday night at Golden State and 105-76 Saturday night at Portland. The Cavaliers are shooting 35.3 percent from the field over the past three games since Kyrie Irving returned to action. He is averaging 20.7 minutes in three starts and shooting 29.4 percent. LeBron James is averaging 25.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists with 48.7 percent shooting but has made 25 percent of his 3-pointers, of which he averages four attempts per game. Kevin Love averages 17.1 points and 10.7 rebounds on 43.1 percent shooting. Cleveland ranks fourth in rebounding percentage.