Joe Johnson to miss playoff action

PHOENIX, May 12 (UPI) -- The Phoenix Suns announced Thursday that guard Joe Johnson would miss at least Game 3 of the team's playoff series Friday night.

Johnson, who had surgery Thursday to repair a fracture of his left orbital bone, is likely to miss the fourth game on Sunday as well.

Johnson suffered the injury to the bone that surrounds his left eye during a Game 2 loss to Dallas Wednesday night. The Mavericks evened the series at 1-1.

As Johnson was driving for the basket late in the first half, Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse reached out to block the shot.

Although replays showed Stackhouse did make a clean block, a foul was called. Johnson lost his balance and fell face first onto the hardwood.

"I don't want to hurt anybody and it wasn't intentional," Stackhouse said. "I was just challenging him. I had all ball. It was his momentum holding onto the rim and he just came down. It was unfortunate. I hope he's fine and he comes back. He's a key part of this series."