HOUSTON — Dillon Brooks shone brightly, scoring 27 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a convincing 146-117 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. Alperen Sengun and Aaron Holiday contributed equally, adding 20 points each as the Rockets cruised to their second straight win against the Pelicans, following a 109-97 triumph in New Orleans on Thursday.
The Rockets controlled the game from the outset, never relinquishing their lead. CJ McCollum hit a 3-pointer, narrowing the Pelicans’ deficit to 11 points with just 10 seconds remaining in the first half. However, Brooks responded with a 3-pointer of his own, and a subsequent turnover by the Pelicans handed the ball back to Houston. Brooks then sank two free throws to close the half, helping the Rockets kickstart the third quarter with an 8-4 run, extending their advantage to 82-62 with nine and a half minutes left in the period.
Houston maintained dominance by entering the fourth quarter with a 26-point lead, and an 8-2 surge pushed the score to 117-85 with ten minutes to play. Amen Thompson had an impressive performance, nearly achieving a triple-double with 15 points and 11 assists. Unfortunately, he left the game due to an injury with less than six minutes remaining, and the team has yet to disclose details about his condition.
Zion Williamson managed to score 20 points for the Pelicans, while Jose Alvarado and CJ McCollum each added 17 points, but their efforts were in vain as New Orleans struggled and succumbed to their fourth loss in five games. Houston capitalized on its opportunity to improve its standing within the Western Conference, seeking to build momentum with a series of six consecutive home games.
A crucial phase was Houston’s impactful stretch run from the end of the second quarter to the early minutes of the third, where they significantly widened the gap. A standout statistic from the game was the Rockets’ improvement to 7-2 when Brooks scores at least 20 points. New Orleans will look to regroup as they host Memphis on Sunday night, while the Rockets prepare for a home encounter with Orlando on Monday night.
