Pelicans 110, Rockets 108
NEW ORLEANS - Guard Eric Gordon scored a game-high 26 points, including a season-best six 3-pointers, and forward Anthony Davis added 24 points and 13 rebounds to lift the New Orleans Pelicans to a 110-108 comeback victory over the Houston Rockets Saturday night at the Smoothie King Center.
The Pelicans (10-20) led by two points with 1.7 seconds left, but Houston had a final chance to either tie or win the game. Forward Trevor Ariza was hounded on the inbounds pass by Davis, and his desperation heave for Dwight Howard near the top of the key was stolen by guard Tyreke Evans to secure the victory.
Houston (16-16) was led by guard James Harden, who scored 17 of his team-high 25 points in the second half. But the Pelicans outscored the Rockets 26-17 in the final quarter for the win.
Houston took a 93-84 lead early in the final quarter on Marcus Thornton's driving layup. The Pelicans whittled the deficit to 98-94, but Harden responded with five straight points, including a 3-pointer from the top of the key, for a 103-94 lead with 7:55 left.
New Orleans then made the key surge of the night, going on a 14-2 run to take a 108-105 lead with 2:51 left. Davis made three free throws to break a 105-105 tie.
Harden tied it with a 3-pointer from the left wing, but Davis slammed home a dunk for a 110-108 lead off an alley-oop feed from Evans.
New Orleans led 84-81 late in the third quarter, but the Rockets scored the final 10 points of the period over a 2:28 span to take a 91-84 lead. Reserve guard Marcus Thornton and forward Terrence Jones had four points each in the spurt.
The Rockets led 61-49 late in the second quarter, but the Pelicans outscored the Rockets 14-1 over the final 2:47 to take a 63-62 halftime lead.
Gordon led the way by making all seven field-goal attempts, including five from behind the arc, for 19 first-half points. Gordon's offensive explosion was enough for the Pelicans to overcome 10 first-half turnovers.
Davis added 13 points and eight rebounds in the first half, and Anderson had 12.
The Rockets made 7-of-10 3-pointers in the first half, including two by Harden. But Harden got in early foul trouble and had to leave with three fouls with 4:15 left in the quarter.
Scoring 11 points on eight Pelicans turnovers, the Rockets bolted to a 41-33 first-quarter lead - their highest-scoring quarter of the season.
Howard scored seven first-half points, enough to surpass the 15,000-point career barrier. He is the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to record 15,000 points and 10,000 rebounds in his career.
NOTES: The Rockets entered Saturday's game against the Pelicans off their best defensive effort of the season, holding the Spurs to a season-low 84 points. But interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff is wary about his team's consistency. "We've been on a roller coaster all season," Bickerstaff said. "We just need to find our peak and stay there. We have shown we can compete with anyone, but we have shown we can lose to anybody, too." ... Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry has been blunt in his criticism of PG Tyreke Evans, who was out of position during a final play in regulation that could have allowed New Orleans to defeat Miami on Christmas Day. The Pelicans lost 94-88 in overtime. "I thought we did a good job of fighting back and putting ourselves in position to win the game," Gentry said. "I think we have to do a little better job of executing down the stretch." ... Pelicans PG Jrue Holiday is close to having his minutes restriction lifted.