Pelicans Defensive Intensity Frustrates Rockets Into Submission
In this story:
New Orleans, LA - The New Orleans Pelicans opened their post-All-Star campaign with a victory against the Houston Rockets 127-105 to give the Pelicans a four-game winning streak. New Orleans announced before tipoff that star forward Brandon Ingram wouldn't play due to illness. The victory makes them 4-1 on the season when Ingram doesn't play.
Trey Murphy III received the start in place of Ingram for the Pelicans, but it was the big man in the middle making the biggest impact. Jonas Valanciunas had nine points and seven rebounds in the opening quarter.
His interior presence jumpstarted New Orleans to an 18-6 advantage in the paint. Houston countered with hot outside shooting from beyond the arc. The Rockets made seven three-pointers in the quarter, more than half their average for the game.
Feb 22, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dives for a loose ball against Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans forced five steals, thanks in large part to the sensational defense of Herb Jones. The Pelicans ended the quarter with a Naji Marshall three-point shot, giving New Orleans a 31-27 lead after one.
The game was close until late in the quarter when New Orleans went on a 10-0 run to extend their lead. A series of dunks by Herb Jones and Zion Williamson got the crowd rocking.
After Houston went on a 5-0, New Orleans ended the quarter with two straight three-point shots, extending their lead to 13 points at the break. Valanciunas was near a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds, leading all scorers in the game.
The Pelicans' defense also stiffened, holding the Rockets to 30% shooting from beyond the arc after shooting 50% in the first half.
The Pelicans opened up the period on a 10-3 run to push their lead to 20 points. Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum carried the offensive load in the quarter, scoring 23 of the 38 Pels points in the quarter.
New Orleans grabbed their largest lead at 28 points and seemed poised to pull away for a victory. Alperen Sengun tried to keep the Rockets in the game with 11 points, but the Pelicans led by 22 points with a quarter to go.
Houston made the game closer than what it needed to be in the fourth quarter when their bench came in and gave them a 10-0 run to cut the Pelicans lead down to 14 points. Herb Jones made a few key plays down the stretch, including a steal that gave him a career-high seven steals on the evening.
McCollum and Williamson combined for 55 points on the evening. New Orleans dominated the paint 62-40 and forced 24 turnovers from Houston on the night. The Pelicans moved into fifth place in the Western Conference with the victory.
New Orleans has a quick turnaround with a game Friday night against the Miami Heat and ends their three-game homestand on Sunday against the Chicago Bulls.
