Bird will miss season

The Seattle Storm will be down another All-Star after the team announced Tuesday that Sue Bird will miss the 2013 season because she needs knee surgery. Bird will undergo surgery to remove a cyst from her right knee later this spring. The expected recovery time is six months. Seattle will already be without former MVP Lauren Jackson, who is choosing to remain in Australia and recover from hamstring surgery. Bird is currently playing overseas and will complete her commitment because she is not experiencing pain in the knee. In a statement from the team, Bird says doctors have told her if the surgery is taken care of as soon as her overseas commitment is done, she can avoid future “debilitating consequences.” – Associated Press