HOUSTON—The New Orleans Pelicans saw their road futility continue on Thursday night, as they were beaten by the Houston Rockets 133-113. The loss extended the Pelicans’ current losing streak to five games and their losing skid away from home to 14.
New Orleans fell to 5-23, as the Rockets improved to 18-9.
Trey Murphy III set the pace for the Pelicans, with a team and season-high 28 points. Murphy is averaging 22.5 points per game over his last four while shooting 46.7% from the floor (37.1 3P%). He was followed by Herb Jones (20) and CJ McCollum (18 pts, 6-17 FG). Jones made a season-high four three-pointers. Yves Missi played in foul trouble most of the night but still managed a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Rockets were led by Jalen Green, who scored 34 on 13-22 shooting (4-10 3PA). It was Green’s fourth 30-point game of the season and his fourth against the Pelicans. Alperen Sengun added 23 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists with Dillon Brooks contributing 26 points (six three-pointers) with seven boards.
Houston jumped out in front early and was up by as many as 19 points in the first half before taking a 66-52 halftime lead. The Rockets, typically a mediocre three-point shooting team, were red-hot from beyond the arc, converting 12 of its 22 attempts before the break. They finished with 17 triples, tied for their second-most this season.
New Orleans started the third quarter by making several mental mistakes. The Pelicans couldn’t stop fouling as they tried to find some way to slow down the home team. Houston opened the period with a 13-3 flurry that forced head coach Willie Green to call timeout less than two minutes in.
The Pelicans managed a meager response led by Murphy and Jones, cutting the deficit to 17 with 4:19 remaining in the quarter. But New Orleans couldn’t take care of the basketball, a problem that has plagued them as of late. Back-to-back turnovers sparked a 6-0 run for the Rockets, who pushed the lead back to 23 before ending the quarter up 99-79.
New Orleans would get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
The Pelicans have their third losing streak of at least five games this season. They haven’t had more than one in any season since 2018-19 when they also had three. Their 14th straight road defeat places them one shy of the franchise record, set by the 2004-05 New Orleans Hornets.
Fortunately for them, the Pels don’t go back on the road until Jan. 1.
They now return to New Orleans for a five-game home stand to close out the calendar year, starting with a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday against the New York Knicks (16-10) and Denver Nuggets (14-10).
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