Pelicans Fall In A Nailbiter To The Rockets

The New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Houston Rockets in a nailbiter during their first NBA In-Season Game.

The New Orleans Pelicans lost 104-101 to the Houston Rockets in a nailbiter during their first NBA In-Season Tournament Game.  Brandon Ingram led all scorers with a game-high 31 points, and Zion Williamson contributed 24 — but only scored 6 points in the second-half.  

New Orleans opened the game with a 31-26 first-quarter lead as Zion Williamson scored 12 points. The Pelicans set the tone by attacking the basket with 18 points in the paint and also caused the Rockets to have six early personal fouls. Green was the Rockets' scoring leader with 10 points in the opening quarter. Jonas Valanciunas added 7, while Ingram logged 8 points for New Orleans.

In the second quarter, New Orleans kept forcing the pressure inside with Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas sitting on the bench. Brooks helped the Rockets to recapture the lead at 35-33 with 8:40 in the period. The Rockets forced the Pelicans into poor passes and shooting. After Dillon Brooks was called for a technical foul, the Pelicans reclaimed the lead, 36-35.

A series of turnovers by the Pelicans allowed an 11-0 run as the Rockets would lead 50-40 at 3:52 left in the first half. At this point, Houston outscored the Pelicans 24-9 in the quarter. Nothing was falling for New Orleans, with Zion missing his fourth-straight attempt and the turnovers climbing to 8.  

Another Jordan Hawkins turnover led to Tate's fastbreak as the Rocket expanded to 14 at 54-40. Brandon Ingram stopped the bleeding with a 21-foot shot before the 2-minute mark. He followed up with a 27-footer from the top of the key for 3 points. The Pelicans would go into halftime trailing 54-48. New Orleans scored 48.6%, 2 of 9 from beyond the arc, and 10 of 15 on free throws. Still, the nine turnovers for the visitors were alarming from a team that has limited them this season. Their 24 (18 defensive, four offensive) demonstrated the Pelicans were putting the effort under the basket.  

Zion led the first half, scoring 18 points, Ingram hit 16 points, and Valanciunas quietly notched 11 points for New Orleans. The Rockets' scoring leaders were Jalen Green, who scored 14 points, and Alperen Sengun, who recorded 12. Houston's bench outpaced the Pelicans 13-1 in the first half.  

SECOND HALF

Jordan Hawkins started the Pelicans scoring by burying a 3-point shot out of intermission. Next, the rookie stole the basketball from Sengun for two fastbreak points. After Sengun knocked down a floater, Hawkins nailed his second shot from downtown Houston. New Orleans cut the deficit to two points at 58-56. Coach Ime Udoka called a timeout as the momentum swung in the Pelicans favor.

Hawkins would tie the score at 60 with his third trey of the quarter. Ingram would help the Pelicans re-take the lead 61-60 after hitting one of two from the charity stripe. New Orleans extended its lead to 68-60 after VanVleet committed a foul on Zion, and Tate received a technical for disputing the call.

The officials ejected Tate with 1:44 remaining in the 3rd quarter. New Orleans finished the quarter with a score of 79-70, leading the game. Hawkins has 13 points in the stanza.  

In the fourth, the home team pushed the Pels. Willie Green disagreed with the contested review of a foul against Valanciunas as he appeared to block a Dillon Brooks layup attempt at the 8:04 mark. Green was out of challenges for the rest of the game. The Rockets pulled within four points after Green sank two free throws, 88-84. Zion hammered down a slam, but Sengun answered. Next, Brandon Ingram called for the ball to shoot a missile, and the Pelicans led 93-86 with 5:16 on the clock.

Brooks hit a critical three to inch closer, 95-91. Valanciunas fouled out at 3:14 when Sengun was driving for a layup. Following an Ingram trey, Sengun would steal the ball from Hawkins and created an old-fashioned three-point play.  

It was 100-95 with the Pelicans leading, Williamson fouled Sengun underneath the basket. He would miss both free throw shots. Brooks stole the ball, and VanVleet drained a 3, 100-98. New Orleans turned over the basketball, and then VanVleet tossed up a dagger to give the Rockets a one-point lead at 101-100 with 47 seconds left. Ingram missed a 26-footer shot, but VanVleet returned to the free-throw line off a Hawkins foul. Houston 103-100 over the Pelicans. On the next possession, Eason fouled Nance Jr. by collecting a missed Brandon Ingram three-pointer. However, he missed the first but made the second trail by 2, 103-101. Three seconds was left. Green was fouled on the inbound pass. He missed the first free throw and coolly hit the second with 2.5 left. Nance Jr. turned over the ball, and the Rocket would hold on with the victory.