The Rockets are back at home to take on the Pelicans at Toyota Center.
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The Houston Rockets are 1-10 against the spread in their last 11 games.
Only three teams in the East had a lower projected win total than the Charlotte Hornets (34.5), but they are 10-7 and now the seventh-seed in the East.
The Houston Rockets rank fifth in offensive rebounding, while the New Orleans Pelicans rank 23rd in defensive rebounding.
“That’s really the frustrating thing”, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. I don’t think playing in a preseason game to prove to everybody that I can play is necessary.
The Pelicans dropped to 4-15 for the season and are now on a four-game losing skid.
But Houston responded with a 10-0 run and never trailed after James Harden’s step-back jumper the Rockets in front 88-87 at the 8:12 mark. James Harden against Kobe Bryant at the two-guard spot could yield 50 shot attempts between them. Pelicans G Jrue Holiday (rest) was a healthy scratch after logging 26 minutes in a loss to the Grizzlies on Monday night. Nicolas Batum has been filling up the stat sheet, with 17 points, six rebounds and almost five assists per game.
Anthony Davis led the way with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
“It’s not just how we start”, Dwight Howard said.
It’s easy to forget with this awful start to the season that Lawson came to Houston off a career high in assists a year ago, at the aforementioned 9.6 per game. Evans is averaging 21.5 points per game in his last four while shooting 56.3 percent from the floor.
There are no injuries to report for the New Orleans Pelicans. Ryan Anderson had a double-double with 19 and 10.
“That’s what killed hurt us tonight, turnovers”, said guard Tyreke Evans, who had eight assists and three turnovers. “All of us got to play better”. “We’ve got to do a better job of that, looking to see where the guy’s at and making sure we have a clear way we can catch the ball”.
New Orleans ranks 12th in points per game with 101.7, while Houston ranks 28th in points allowed with an average of 107.9 given up.
Needless to say, this early season endeavor has been a tremendous failure and doesn’t look to get any better. “That’s what they do”.
Life has been literally for the birds for this entire team as they struggle to find their identity.
By the way, the Rockets were 4-7 when McHale got fired. Damian Lillard also has the ability to play off of the ball, allowing him to play effectively alongside another point guard (the defense would be horrific though).
And when the game was on the line, it was the Rockets turning Pelicans mistakes into baskets, or making clutch jumpers.
The Pelicans host Cleveland on Friday.
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“We didn’t play with a lot of energy when we needed to”, Davis said.
