Rockets 112, Pelicans 111
NEW ORLEANS -- Guard James Harden scored 35 points, and forward Trevor Ariza added 31 points to lift the Houston Rockets to a 112-111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday at the Smoothie King Center.
Guard Patrick Beverley gave the Rockets the lead for good by hitting an open 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:09 left, putting Houston ahead 110-109.
After forward Ryan Anderson missed an 18-foot jumper on the other end, Harden sank a fading jumper over guard Jrue Holiday with 35 seconds remaining to give the Rockets a 112-109 lead.
Holiday then hit a driving layup with 28.2 seconds left to cut the deficit to one. The Pelicans got the ball back with two seconds to go, but Holiday's desperation 40-footer hit the backboard and was no good.
Holiday finished with 32 points, and Anderson scored 22.
The Pelicans also lost star forward Anthony Davis due to a concussion. Davis, who did not return after getting hurt late in the second quarter, finished with nine points and six rebounds in 19 minutes.
After the teams failed to score on their first five possessions of the fourth quarter, guard Toney Douglas gave New Orleans a 94-93 lead with a driving layup.
The lead jockeyed back and forth the rest of the quarter. When Holiday hit a driving layup and a free throw, New Orleans led 109-107 with 2:17 left. Beverly hit an open 3-pointer from the left wing to put Houston up 110-109 with 1:09 to go.
With Davis in the locker room, the Rockets smoked the Pelicans with an 18-0 run to start the third quarter and take a 76-60 lead. The Rockets made their first six field-goal attempts of the quarter, and Harden capped the run by canning three fouls shots after being fouled behind the arc.
However, the Pelicans closed the period with a 32-17 surge, which included a 35-foot banked 3-pointer by guard Norris Cole to beat the buzzer, and New Orleans trailed just 93-92.
Because of the way he flies around the court, Davis has been prone to freak injuries in his first three seasons. But his latest injury -- an elbow to the left side of his head -- came as a result of friendly fire.
Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans and Davis went up strong for a defensive rebound, and Evans inadvertently slammed his right elbow into Davis' head. Davis hit the deck for nearly a minute and then left for the locker room with the game tied at 58 with a minute left in the half.
Both teams shot better than 50 percent in the first half, and the Pelicans took a 60-58 edge at halftime. Anderson scored 16 first-half points on 6-of-10 shooting, including two 3-pointers, and Holiday added 12.
Ariza scored 17 first-half points for the Rockets, making six of eight from the field and all four of his 3-point attempts, and Harden added 13 points and four assists. Guard Marcus Thornton also made four of five from long range, and the Rockets were 10 of 19 from the perimeter.
Houston finished 19-for-39 from behind the arc.
The Pelicans are 0-5 this season when Davis does not play and 2-3 when an injury limits him to 20 or fewer minutes.
NOTES: Rockets C Dwight Howard did not play for the second consecutive game because of a sprained left ankle. "He worked out today and we'll see how he responds tomorrow," interim Houston coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "He'll get an opportunity to work more tomorrow and then we'll see how it goes from there." ... Bickerstaff said going to a smaller lineup is giving G James Harden more room to do damage. "There's less of a crowd in the paint, and he likes to get to the paint," Bickerstaff said. "I think the scoring mode has decreased some because other guys are making more shots, so he doesn't have to do as much." ... New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry on Harden: "He is probably the best in the league, maybe ever, at drawing contact. We just try to preach to keep a good defensive stance and keep our hands up."