Metta World Peace out with torn meniscus in left knee

An MRI exam revealed that Metta World Peace has has a tear in the lateral meniscus in his left knee.

The Lakers forward left the team’s 109-103 loss to Golden State on Monday at halftime after feeling discomfort. He will undergo further examination in Los Angeles.

There was no immediate word whether the injury would require surgery, but it’s safe to say World Peace will miss the Lakers’ back-to-back visits to Minnesota and Milwaukee, and possibly a lot more.

The Lakers (36-35) have struggled all season to stay healthy. That run of bad luck continues as the team tries to hold onto the eighth playoff seeding in the Western Conference.

World Peace has played in 70 games this season, missing one game because of a suspension. He’s averaging 12.8 points on 40.5% shooting from the field and 34.7% from three-point range. He’s also one of the team’s leaders in minutes at 34.6 a game.

In his absence, the Lakers might turn to Earl Clark or Jodie Meeks, with Kobe Bryant possibly shifting to small forward.

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Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.