Rockets (55-14), Pelicans (39-30)
New Orleans has frequently come back this season to win from double-digit deficits, including twice doing so against San Antonio, once in historic fashion on the Spurs’ home floor. The Pelicans were in the same predicament Saturday, trailing Houston by 20 in the second half before mounting a rally, but didn’t have enough to finish the comeback. The Rockets relied on their usual blend of James Harden individual exploits (32 points) and three-point accuracy (15/41 from the arc) to improve to 2-1 against their Southwest Division counterparts.
With only 13 games remaining in the regular season, an extremely busy stretch for the Pelicans continues tomorrow with a 5 p.m. home game against Boston. New Orleans then plays Tuesday through Thursday, in a rare back-to-back-back vs. Dallas, Indiana and the Lakers.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Houston was able to bleed 24 seconds off the game clock in the final minute, but still get the offensive rebound when the ball trickled out of bounds after a scramble for possession. The Rockets maintained the ball, up 103-99 with 23 seconds remaining. New Orleans were down by six points on its previous possession, but only scored a two-point basket, keeping it a two-possession margin.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ian Clark has played his best basketball of the season in recent weeks. On Saturday, he provided a big spark, finishing with 17 points in exceptionally efficient fashion (he shot 8/9 from the field). Clark – who has played in more meaningful spring basketball games the last couple years than any current teammates – logged 31 minutes, a valuable contribution with Rajon Rondo (rest) not playing. The Pelicans were plus-six with him on the floor, but minus-12 during the 17 minutes he was on the bench. Also a tip of the cap goes to reserve big Cheick Diallo, who brought a ton of energy while supplying six points, four rebounds and two blocks in 12 minutes.
QUOTES TO NOTE
“I thought we played hard. I thought we competed. I thought we did everything we had to, to try to win the game. That’s what I thought. The thing that bothers me more than anything, we try to play the right way, and we play our (butts) off, and then (Davis) never gets a call. We talk about them holding him, them grabbing him on rolls, them coming under him on post-ups, he never gets a call. And you know why? Because he doesn’t bitch and complain about it. He just keeps playing the game.” – Alvin Gentry beginning a lengthy postgame talk about Saturday’s game
“He’s doing what a coach does, standing up for his players, and making sure we have a fair shot every game.” – Emeka Okafor on Gentry’s postgame soliloquy on the officiating Saturday
“It’s a tough game. I appreciate my coach standing up for me and us.” – Jrue Holiday (19 points, six rebounds, assists) on Gentry’s postgame comments
BY THE NUMBERS
8/24: New Orleans three-point shooting. The Pelicans had the upper hand in the previous two matchups with Houston from the arc, but this time were cold, with Darius Miller (4/6) providing half of the team’s makes.
18: Assist total for Pelicans, a low number for a team that has recently approached or surpassed the 30-assist mark commonly.
9: Houston turnovers. Any time an NBA team finishes with less than 10 it’s a very good night. The Pelicans didn’t do a good enough job of disrupting the Rockets, netting only four steals (three by Holiday).