Houston Rockets Defeat New Orleans Pelicans for First In-Season Tournament Win
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets trailed the New Orleans Pelicans 98-93 with 2:11 left in the fourth quarter when Alperen Şengün scored on an And-1 layup attempt over Larry Nance Jr.
A few possessions later, Fred VanVleet drilled a triple to give the Rockets a 101-100 lead over the Pelicans with 48 seconds left in the game. VanVleet later nailed back-to-back free throws to give the Rockets a 104-100 victory over the Pelicans Friday night inside the Toyota Center.
Şengün, who began the night questionable with a sprained right ankle, finished with 24 points and eight rebounds. VanVleet added 20 points and eight assists in the win.
Whether it was the bright red court or not, the Rockets had a poor start during their first In-Season Tournament game. Houston began the night missing four of their first five attempts from behind the arc, and the struggles led to the Pelicans holding an early eight-point advantage.
But the subpar shooting was only half the issues the Rockets faced during the first quarter.
After missing the Pelicans previous game due to personal reasons, Zion Williamson scored 11 of his 24 points within the first eight minutes. Williamson helped the Pelicans take a 23-15 lead with 3:39 left in the first quarter when VanVleet connected on his second 3-point field goal of the night.
VanVleet's basket began a 40-25 run, which led to the Rockets holding a 54-48 lead into the half.
Despite trailing the Rockets at the half, the Pelicans duplicated their first-quarter dominance to begin the third period. New Orleans regained the lead midway through the period, which led to the Rockets trailing 79-70 entering the final period.
The Pelicans were led by Brandon Ingram, who scored 31 points on 11-of-24 shooting in the loss. Jalen Green scored a team-high 25 points in the win.
Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas (17) defends as Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) attempts to score during the second quarter at Toyota Center.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
First In-Season Tournament in the books for Houston:
By defeating the Pelicans, the Rockets extended their winning streak to five while recording their first In-Season Tournament win.
Up Next:
The Rockets will close their seven-game homestand Sunday night against the Denver Nuggets. They will then have a four-day layoff before returning to the court for a road match against the Los Angeles Clippers. Tip-off between the Rockets and Nuggets is slated for 6 p.m. CDT inside the Toyota Center.
