Houston Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee last week after a debris was found during an MRI.

Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said Gordon has been dealing with knee discomfort “since the middle of last year.” The guard spoke to reporters on Monday for the first time since the surgery and revealed why he chose to not go under the knife over the offseason.

The timing of the surgery was bad for Gordon, who had his best game of the season against the New Orleans Pelicans before the MRI showed the debris. He scored a season-high 17 points while shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc versus New Orleans.

Gordon signed an extension with the Rockets this summer. He’s averaging 10.9 points and 1.9 rebounds per game this season while shooting 30.9 percent overall, 28.4 percent from the 3-point line and 64.3 percent from the charity stripe.

Maybe Gordon will come back a better player after the surgery. The discomfort may have played a role in his early season struggles.

The Rockets are 10-3 on the season, good for second place in the Western Conference standings. Gordon will be out for roughly six weeks, which means other guys in the rotation will have to step up.