Rockets (50-22), Pelicans (30-42)
HOUSTON – Not long before tip-off Friday, Houston’s PA announcer asked the crowd at Toyota Center, “Who’s ready to see the Rockets’ 50th win of the season?” A bit earlier, a local reporter asked Houston’s Mike D’Antoni what it meant for his team to get 50 victories – even though it hadn’t happened yet (D’Antoni politely requested he not be asked that until it actually took place).
Houston eventually accomplished that milestone triumph, but it wasn’t easy. New Orleans responded to a slow start by building a lead as large as nine points and trailed just 80-79 entering the fourth quarter. From there, however, Houston played its best offense of the night, piling up 37 points in the final stanza.
The Pelicans sustained a costly defeat, because eighth-place Denver won at Indiana, increasing the gap between the clubs to five games. New Orleans will visit Denver on Sunday, the first of three head-to-head meetings between the squads between March 26 and April 7.
New Orleans’ frontcourt duo of “Fire and Ice” combined for a big night, totaling 62 points, with Anthony Davis tallying 33 and DeMarcus Cousins delivering 29. For a second straight game, Cousins tied his career high by draining five three-pointers.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
MVP candidate James Harden buried a three-pointer from the top of the key with 1:09 remaining, giving Houston an eight-point lead at 113-105. Fellow Rockets starting guard Patrick Beverley tacked on a corner three-pointer in the last 20 seconds to account for the final 10-point margin, as the hosts wrapped up a 3-1 season-series win over the Pelicans.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
For a second straight game, Cousins was lethal from long distance, including starting 3/3 from beyond the arc. He finished 5/9, accounting for roughly half of his 29 points. Davis had a lengthy stretch in the third quarter where he was unstoppable, rolling to 17 points in the period, partly by repeatedly connecting on jumpers. The duo combined to take over half of the visitors’ shots, attempting 49 of 91.
PELICANS UNSUNG CONTRIBUTOR
Jrue Holiday was a force at the defensive end in the first half, then heated up in the third quarter offensively. The guard registered a good all-around game, winding up with 18 points (7/12 shooting), nine assists, three steals and two blocks. Like Cousins, he was accurate from three-point range, going 4/8.
QUOTES TO NOTE
“I thought we played well. You’re playing against a great team with a great player, arguably the MVP of the league. He made plays down the stretch. We weren’t able to make them. That’s what it came down to. We played hard, competed like crazy.” – Alvin Gentry on Harden’s crunch-time play that helped decide the outcome
“I think we played well for the most part. We battled till the end. They made some shots and we didn’t.” – Cousins, echoing Gentry’s sentiments about the late-game developments
“It was definitely draining, to make them miss, but then they get the rebound and make a three. We’ve got to get a little tougher and come up with those loose balls.” – Davis on the Rockets grabbing 15 offensive boards
BY THE NUMBERS
59-36: Houston rebounding advantage, led by Clint Capela’s 13 boards.
14/38: New Orleans three-point shooting, almost exactly what Houston shot (14/39).
10: New Orleans turnovers, a nice low number. Houston committed 19 turnovers, but the bulk of them were in the first half.