The Hornets announced that guard Alex Garcia will miss the remainder of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Garcia suffered the injury in the December 12th game at Washington.  He left the game at the 8:29 mark of the third quarter and did not return.  Garcia underwent an MRI yesterday in Charlotte (where the team was preparing for tonight?s game against the Bobcats) and the injury was diagnosed by Bobcats Team Doctor Glenn Perry.  

Garcia had averaged 5.5 points and 2.3 assists in 18.3 minutes per game through eight games (three starts) with the Hornets this season.  He had recently returned to action after missing seven games with a strained left groin.  

Garcia missed the first 33 games of the 2003-04 season (with San Antonio) while on the Injured List with a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot.  He was activated on Jan. 5 and played in two games before missing the final 47 games of the season on the Injured List with a right knee contusion (following the Spurs? acquisition of Charlie Ward).