Rockets squander a massive 25-point lead, succumbing to a furious Pelicans comeback in overtime thriller.
For three quarters in New Orleans, the Houston Rockets looked like a team ready to put the Pelicans away early and move on. What followed in the fourth quarter and overtime was one of the more frustrating slip-ups of the season.
The Pelicans came in knowing exactly what they needed to do: push the pace and win the rebounding battle. They scored the first basket of the night and tried to speed Houston up right away, which isn’t easy against a Rockets team that plays at the slowest pace in the league. Early energy helped New Orleans grab an early lead, but it didn’t last long.
Once Houston settled in, control shifted quickly. Kevin Durant was automatic from the jump, opening the game 5-for-5, and the Rockets started stacking stops. Herb Jones had several clean looks but couldn’t capitalize, starting 1-for-8 and finishing the first quarter 2-for-9. Houston closed the opening frame on top, 33-24.
The second quarter is where the game felt like it was getting out of hand. Houston pushed its lead to as many as 23 behind dominant rebounding and a steady stream of second-chance points.
The Pelicans looked rushed and careless offensively, shooting just 34-percent in the first half compared to Houston’s 53.3-percent. Even with 10 steals by halftime, New Orleans couldn’t turn turnovers into momentum. Durant stayed perfect at 7-for-7, and the Rockets went into the break comfortably ahead, 67-45.
Even the third quarter, typically Houston’s weakest stretch, stayed under control. Amen Thompson was flawless, sitting at 8-for-8 midway through the period, and the Rockets never let the lead dip below double digits. Their advantage ballooned to 25, frustration crept into the Pelicans’ body language, and Houston entered the fourth up 99-83.
Then the game flipped.
New Orleans tightened defensively in the fourth quarter in a way Houston never fully adjusted to. The Pelicans shrunk driving lanes, forced tougher shots, and clawed back into the game within three minutes. Herb Jones was everywhere, finishing with eight steals, and small-ball lineups began to dictate matchups. Sengun climbed into foul trouble and suddenly the lead was gone.
With three minutes left, Houston held a one-point edge. The Pelicans tied it at 117 with 25 seconds remaining. Sengun missed a late look, and a game that never should’ve reached overtime did exactly that.
Overtime stayed chaotic. New Orleans took its first lead since early in the first quarter on a long two, Herb Jones fouled out late, and the Pelicans closed the game at the line. Houston had chances. Reed Sheppard got two good looks from three, but couldn’t convert. The Pelicans finished it, 133-128.
Durant ended the night 12-for-15 with 32 points. Sengun posted 28 on 11-for-26, Thompson added 23 on 11-for-14, and both Sengun and Smith finished with double-doubles. It still wasn’t enough.
This was New Orleans’ third straight win, which is their longest streak of the season and easily their most impressive. For Houston, it was a deeply disappointing loss. Blowing a 25-point lead to the league’s worst team, just days after a one-shot loss in Denver, is the kind of slip that lingers.
Credit to the Pelicans for an elite fourth-quarter response. But for the Rockets, this one will sting- and it should.