Rockets top Pelicans to stretch streak to 9
HOUSTON -- James Harden posted his second consecutive triple-double while Eric Gordon scored a season-high 29 points as the Houston Rockets turned another record-second performance into a 122-100 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night at Toyota Center.
The Rockets (20-7) stretched their winning streak to nine games by setting league records for 3-pointers made (24) and attempted (61). Houston finished one trey shy of matching the old record of 23, which they shared with the Golden State Warriors, on Wednesday night in their 34-point win over the Sacramento Kings. Houston held the mark for 3-pointers attempted (50), which they set in Sacramento on Nov. 25.
Harden finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists to set a new franchise mark with his 15th triple-double. Gordon shot 10 for 17 in 27 minutes off the bench while forward Trevor Ariza finished with 20 points on 5-for-14 3-point shooting.
Forward Anthony Davis paced the Pelicans (9-19) with 19 points despite playing just 22 minutes. Davis departed in the third quarter with a left lower-leg contusion. Former Rockets forward Terrence Jones had 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench for New Orleans, which has dropped six of seven meetings against Houston.
Davis scored 12 of the Pelicans' first 21 points, and his 19-footer with 3:25 remaining in the first quarter cut the deficit to 22-21. But the Rockets bridged the first and second periods with an 11-0 run that featured three 3-pointers, two from Gordon. In the second quarter, they used another 3-point barrage to extend the lead.
Houston turned a 15-6 run into a 71-47 lead with under a minute left in the half. All five of its field goals during that stretch came from behind the arc, as the Rockets closed the half with a 5-for-9 blitz from deep to take a 22-point halftime lead.
NOTES: The last time Houston won as many as nine consecutive games came during the 2007-08 season, when the Rockets produced a franchise-best 22-game winning streak. ... Pelicans G Tim Frazier returned to action after missing one game with a bone contusion in his right wrist. Frazier was originally set to miss 7-10 days with the injury. ... As part of their 50th anniversary celebration, the Rockets honored Rudy Tomjanovich during the game. Tomjanovich played all 11 of his seasons with the Rockets and served as head coach in Houston for 12 seasons, winning consecutive NBA titles in 1993-94 and 1994-95. He is the third-leading scorer in franchise history and has the most victories for a coach in team annals. ... After playing in his first game since Jan. 25 on Thursday night, Pelicans G-F Tyreke Evans sat out (rest).