![\"John](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/wall1k-1.jpg\" "\\"John")
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Washington Wizards point guard John Wall will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Wednesday and could miss much of the rest of the regular season. <\/p>\n
The Wizards announced Tuesday that Wall would have the operation in Cleveland and that a timeline for his return would be determined afterward. <\/p>\n
A person with direct knowledge of the injury said Wall could miss six to eight weeks. That person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release any estimate of the length of Wall\u2019s absence. Washington\u2019s last regular-season game is on April 11. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt just proves that he wasn\u2019t the John that we know,\u201d backup guard Tomas Satoransky said. \u201cHis knee was bothering him all season long.\u201d <\/p>\n
This is the latest knee problem for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft out of Kentucky. Wall had surgery on both of his knees before last season. <\/p>\n
Coach Scott Brooks delivered Tuesday\u2019s news to other players at a shootaround. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe message is we just need guys to step up and take their game up a level. It\u2019s going to be tough without our best player,\u201d forward Markieff Morris said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBy the time he comes back, we\u2019ll be in the playoff push,\u201d Morris said, \u201cor just getting ready for the playoffs.\u201d <\/p>\n
Wall is second on the Wizards in scoring this season, averaging 19.4 points, and is second in the league with 9.3 assists per game. In July, he agreed to a $170 million, four-year contract extension that starts with next season. <\/p>\n
He was selected last week to participate in his fifth NBA All-Star game but now is expected to miss that event in Los Angeles next month. <\/p>\n
The timing of the surgery gives Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld a chance to find a new point guard before the NBA trading deadline, which is Feb. 8. <\/p>\n
In the meantime, reserves Satoransky and Tim Frazier figure to get additional playing time. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot panic about it,\u201d Satoransky said about the prospect of losing Wall for a lengthy absence. <\/p>\n
\u201cJohn is the main guy, so it\u2019s always tough to cover your main guy when he goes down,\u201d said Satoransky, who is averaging five points and 2.6 assists this season. \u201cIt\u2019s very challenging. Obviously, I like challenges, but it will (mean) a lot of responsibility.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Washington Post first reported that Wall would be having a procedure on his knee. <\/p>\n
He sat out Washington\u2019s most recent game, at the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, because of a recurrence of soreness and swelling in his left knee. Earlier issues with the knee led him to sit out nine games in November and December, and he got platelet-rich plasma injections to try to cut down on the inflammation. <\/p>\n
The Wizards entered Tuesday, when they were scheduled to host Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder at night, tied for fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 27-22 record. <\/p>\n
Led by its backcourt of Wall and Bradley Beal, a first-time All-Star pick this season, Washington lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals each of the past two years. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"