New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Box Score on Dec 11, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 11, 2017

HOUSTON -- Chris Paul and James Harden came alive late, and the Houston Rockets erased a 13-point, third-quarter deficit in extending their winning streak to 10 games with a 130-123 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night at Toyota Center.

Harden scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and matched his career high of 17 assists while Paul scored 16 points over the final 13-plus minutes while adding nine rebounds and six assists. The Rockets (21-4) remained undefeated with Paul in the lineup at 11-0.

Houston needed Herculean efforts from center Clint Capela (a career-high 28 points) and guard Eric Gordon, who scored 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting off the bench. The Rockets needed every ounce of output to offset the splendid shooting of the short-handed Pelicans.

While forward E'Twaun Moore scored a career-high 36 points on 15-for-20 shooting, Jrue Holiday poured in a season-high 37 points for the Pelicans (14-14). DeMarcus Cousins posted 24 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists while Rajon Rondo had a triple-double (13 points, 12 boards, 12 assists). The Pelicans shot 57.6 percent from the floor and made a franchise record 18 3-points, finishing 18-for-33 from long range.

The Pelicans' early shooting set the tone, with Holiday and Moore combining to make 9 of 10 shots in the first quarter with totaling 23 points. Cousins chipped in with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting as the Pelicans drilled 7 of 9 3s while racing to a season-high 41-point first period.

Not ones to be outshot, the Rockets opened the second quarter with a 12-0 run, with forward Trevor Ariza providing 10 points during that stretch. But the Pelicans offered their clearest indication of what was to come when they fashioned a 13-3 response, with their torrid shooting continuing throughout the period and to the intermission. By the break New Orleans had missed only five of its 19 3-point attempts with Moore just four points off his career high of 26.

Despite all of that, the Rockets tallied 43 points in the second and led 78-76 at halftime.

NOTES: Pelicans F Anthony Davis was sidelined by a left adductor strain, an injury sustained earlier this month and one that cost Davis three games. Darius Miller started in place of Davis, who is day-to-day. ... Rockets G James Harden matched the franchise record for assists in a half with 14 prior to the intermission. He also had 14 in the first half of the 2016-17 season opener against the Lakers. John Lucas had 14 in the second half at Milwaukee on Oct. 27, 1977. ... Pelicans F E'Twaun Moore eclipsed his previous single-game high for 3-pointers by sinking six in the first half.