Suffering a non-contact knee injury against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe had to be carried off the court. The Suns called the injury a sprained left knee, but according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, it's much more serious and Bledsoe may be out until after the All-Star break in mid-February.

The Suns confirmed the severity of Bledsoe's injury on Sunday, announcing that the sixth-year guard tore the meniscus in his left knee and will have surgery on Tuesday:

Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe has sustained a torn meniscus in his left knee. The injury occurred during last night’s game against Philadelphia and a subsequent MRI revealed the tear.

Bledsoe will undergo surgery Tuesday, December 29. The surgery will be performed by team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tom Carter. 

This is a significant injury which should keep Bledsoe sidelined till after mid-February as Windhorst reported.

Without Bledsoe, Phoenix's slim chance of getting into the postseason may already be over. Couple this with Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek being on the hot seat and Phoenix's outlook on the rest of the season is not very promising.

After working hard in the offseason and changing his diet, Bledsoe was having a borderline All-Star-type season. In 31 games, Bledose is averaging 20.4 points (a career-high), 6.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Without Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Archie Goodwin and even rookie Devin Booker will have to play a larger role if Phoenix wants to remain competitive in the West. 

Eric Bledsoe may have suffered a significant knee injury.
Eric Bledsoe may have suffered a significant knee injury. (USATSI)