Udonis Haslem says he needs right meniscus surgery

Udonis Haslem says he needs surgery to repair a right meniscus tear. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Heat Forward Udonis Haslem told the AP on Saturday that he played much of the second season with a torn right meniscus and needs surgery to repair it. It's unclear when and how Haslem injured his right meniscus.

After two strong performances in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers, Haslem barely performed during the Finals, scoring just nine points against the Spurs.

In Game 3 against the Pacers, Haslem scored 17 points, earning praise from coach Eric Spoelstra. From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

"In the 10 years that I’ve gotten to know UD, I know that he’s not defined and cannot be defined by numbers. He’s defined by winning plays and a toughness that most players don’t have," Spoelstra said.

Haslem had another strong performance in Game 5 against Indiana, shooting 8-of-9 from the field.

After big contributions to Miami's Eastern Conference victory, Haslem fizzled out for the NBA Finals.

There's no indication whether he had a medical or lateral tear of his meniscus, but the average recovery time for either is 4-8 weeks.