HOUSTON — Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady will have surgery on his left knee and miss the rest of the season.

The star forward said on his Web site Wednesday that the pain has been persistent and he will have microfracture surgery. He's confident he'll return next season.

McGrady is Houston's third-leading scorer. He had arthroscopic surgery in May and has missed 18 games this season because of his sore knee. He said before the All-Star break he wanted to consult with doctors before deciding on the best course of treatment.

ESPN.com first reported that McGrady was out for the season after the Rockets beat the Nets on Tuesday night.