Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon reportedly has been putting in plenty of work while the NBA remains on hiatus. 

According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Gordon has shed 12 pounds thanks to a combination of diet and sprints. The long-term benefits here may be the key to Houston's success. Iko notes Gordon is hoping by losing weight he'll be able to prevent further injuries to his knees. 

The 31-year-old missed nearly six weeks following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee earlier this season. It's the second time his knee has needed surgery after having the same procedure done in 2011 with the then-New Orleans Hornets. 

While it remains unclear if the NBA will return this season, Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni believes a healthy Gordon is vital to the team's title hopes. 

"I think Eric Gordon's a big key for us," head coach Mike D'Antoni said on KHOU's SportsExtra last week, via Iko. "He has the potential to put us over the top." 

Gordon is averaging 14.5 points per game this season through 35 contests while shooting 37 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from behind the arc. 

With James Harden and Russell Westbrook handling most of the duties in the backcourt, Gordon provides a steady third option, especially as the team continues to focus on playing small-ball. 

There haven't been many images of Gordon since the NBA went on hiatus so it remains to be seen just how much the weight loss will affect his play, if at all. As long as it helps keep him healthy, Houston shouldn't have too many issues with the experiment. 

The Rockets entered the hiatus with a record of 40-24, slotting them firmly into sixth place in the Western Conference and only one game back of the Utah Jazz for the fourth-seed.