PELICANS HEAD COACH ALVIN GENTRY
(On if the schedule affected his team's play)
"I don't want to use that as an excuse. I do think we were a little tired and we got off to a rough start and this is a team that you don't want to get off to a rough start with. I was proud of the fact we came out in the third quarter. I was just going to say we won't play the guys and they said, 'No, we want to play.' We have to do at least something to show and I thought we did a great job. We were good defensively in the third, held them to 19 (points). But, we never really got into any kind of offensive rhythm where we could put together a stretch of points or a stretch of shots. They are a very, very good team and you have to be able to keep the pressure offensively and we were not able to do that."
(On what will his team do to get ready for Portland)
"We'll rest, we'll really rest. That's a tough stretch. Now that it's over, I thought the guys handled it great. To play five games in six days and to play six games in eight days, I've been in the league a long time, 30 years to be exact and I don't remember ever playing six games in eight days and then three in a row. It's asking a lot of your team and I thought our guys did a great job of stepping up, finding a way to compete at that level and then the very last game we're playing the team that is No. 1 in the NBA in pace and what they do and how they attack and we were still able to find a way to win that game."
PELICANS FORWARD DARIUS MILLER
(On the team's third quarter run)
"We just played with more intensity and picked up our effort. Like I said, we were flat at the beginning. Our leaders did a good job of getting into it and getting us ready for the second half and we just fought."
(On the team's recent schedule)
"It definitely was tough, but they did a great job of having us prepared. We did a lot of recovery and everybody had a great mindset coming in and doing extra recovery and treatment. I feel like we handled it pretty well."
PELICANS GUARD RAJON RONDO
(On the Rockets fast start)
"They did a great job of getting out in transition tonight. We knew coming into the game that that was a big emphasis and we still didn't follow the game plan as we should."
(On the Pelicans recent schedule)
"We're pros, but it was tough and that part of the season is behind us and I think we have two or three games in ten days now. So, hopefully the guys will get a chance to rest their bodies and get back to normal."
PELICANS FORWARD/CENTER ANTHONY DAVIS
(On the Rockets fast start)
"We've played them many times and we know they like to do. They executed and we didn't play up to our level in the first half. We turned the ball over, allowed offensive rebounds and transition points. We played a lot of isolation basketball and we didn't do what we needed to do in the first half and they took advantage of it."
(On the team's recent schedule and was fatigue a factor)
"No. We did stuff that we normally don't do and knowing what we did tonight didn't get us to the point where we are now. The second half is the way we wanted to play. Playing fast, playing for each other and playing together and playing some defense got them to nine or ten points. That's how we play, but when you're down 20, 25 (points) it's always tough to try to come back and play uphill especially a team like that."
(On the playoff race)
"We control our own destiny and we're fine. It's just one game, we have a couple of days off and then play Tuesday against somebody we're in a race with, Portland.