HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets star Ralph Sampson suffered a large cartilage tear in his left knee and must undergo surgery, the club said Wednesday.
Coach Bill Fitch estimated the 7-foot-4 forward will be sidelined from six weeks until the end of the season.
It was not known when he would have the operation.
Sampson was injured during the first quarter of Tuesday night's loss to the Denver Nuggets. He was running down court when his right foot appeared to slip, causing the left knee to buckle.
He was treated in the locker room and returned wearing a knee brace. Sampson began the second quarter but was removed with 11:07 remaining.
There was speculation he slipped on the remnants of a solvent used to clean the court of scuff marks left by a drill team that practiced its halftime show before the game.
'It was very slippery in some spots,' said Rockets forward Jim Petersen. 'Dirk Minniefield slipped and fell right to the floor the first time down the court.'
Sampson will miss Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in Seattle. He had been elected by the fans to start on the Western Conference team for the third straight year.
Sampson was sidelined for 11 of the Rockets' first 13 games because of ankle injuries. He has played in 34 games, averaging 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds. He had a season-high 33 points Jan. 19 against Cleveland and a season-high 20 rebounds Jan. 24 against Washington.
The injury marks another setback for the Rockets. Lewis Lloyd and Mitchell Wiggins were dismissed from the league for at least two years because of drug use.
