Rockets spoil Cousins' Pelicans debut
NEW ORLEANS -- Newly acquired guard Lou Williams scored a team-high 27 points to lead six players in double figures, and the Houston Rockets forced 20 turnovers to spoil the twin towers debut of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins with a 129-99 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday night at the Smoothie King Center.
The Rockets (41-18) led by as many as 35 points in the third quarter and coasted to the victory by making 20 of 51 from behind the arc. Other Rockets in double figures were Eric Gordon (19), Ryan Anderson (17), Clint Capela (13), James Harden (13) with 14 assists and Montrezl Harrell (10).
Davis led the Pelicans (23-35) with 29 points, and Cousins, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Sacramento Kings last Sunday, scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in his New Orleans debut.
But the Pelicans never looked smooth offensively, shooting just 6 of 31 from 3-point range.
Gordon and Anderson, two former Pelicans, combined for 17 points in the second quarter as the Rockets outscored New Orleans 36-22 to take a 66-50 halftime lead. Gordon, who was booed every time he touched the ball, had 14 points in the first half to go along with Anderson's 12 and Harden's 10 points and seven assists.
Cousins picked up his third foul in a low-post tangle with Anderson and had to leave the game late in the second quarter with 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, three blocks and four steals.
Davis scored a team-high 18 first-half points, but the Rockets made 6 of 15 from long range in the second quarter to build their 16-point advantage.
Davis and Cousins played together for 10:11 in the first half, and the Rockets outscored New Orleans 22-19 in that span. The Pelicans looked foggy on their offensive sets and committed 12 first-half turnovers, resulting in 17 Houston points.
NOTES: Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said no matter how talented F Anthony Davis and C/F DeMarcus Cousins are, there will be a period of adjustment as they figure out what works best. "What we basically have is a college schedule left, and I think (our goal) has to be, 'What do we have to do to get to the NCAA Tournament?'" Gentry said. "I think it will be interesting to see how we can incorporate both of them into the game and how they play with each other and how they play when one is on the floor and the other one is not." ... Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said the Pelicans will have to adjust from small ball to tall ball, but they can make it work. "It's not always the easiest thing with about 25 games to go, but they are dealing with guys that are very talented, and I'm sure they'll be very good at it," D'Antoni said. ... The Pelicans waived F Terrence Jones and signed 6-8 F Hollis Thompson, a 3-point specialist, from the D League.