The Indiana Pacers will be without their starting point guard for a large chunk of February.
The Pacers announced that Darren Collison will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday, and is expected to be sidelined for two-to-three weeks. The All-Star break bisects that time frame and should soften the blow. If his recovery winds up on the earlier end of the projected window, he could miss just the five games left before the break and return along with the team on Feb. 23.
In the meantime, his absence will test the Pacers' backcourt depth, with the solid but unspectacular Cory Joseph, volatile Lance Stephenson, and unproven Joe Young due to soak up his minutes.
Collison has been a steady force for the Pacers this season, having averaged 12.8 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals with a sterling .495/.432/.897 shooting line while playing in all but two games. His plus-4 net rating ranks third on the team, and the Pacers have been 5.4 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the bench.
Indiana has a tough week ahead, with dates against the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, and Boston Celtics (the latter two on the road) looming. The Pacers have won 11 of their past 16 games after losing five straight in the absence of Victor Oladipo, and as they jockey for playoff positioning, they can ill afford another slide. They're currently in a virtual tie with the Milwaukee Bucks for fifth in the Eastern Conference, but sit just 3.5 games up on the ninth-place Detroit Pistons.
