Jalen Green and Rockets beat New Orleans 133-113 and send Pelicans to their 5th straight loss

HOUSTON — Jalen Green scored 34 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 133-113 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night.

Green had a season-high 22 points in the third quarter and shot 13 of 22 in the game, including 4 for 10 from beyond the arc. Green entered shooting 31.3% from long distance this season.

Dillon Brooks scored 26 points, and Alperen Sengun added 23 points and nine rebounds as the Rockets improved to 11-3 at home.

Trey Murphy III scored 28 points, and Herb Jones had 20 for the Pelicans, who have lost five straight and fell to 1-14 on the road.

Takeaways

Pelicans: New Orleans entered Thursday allowing the second-most fast-break points in the NBA at 19.6 points per game, and the Rockets exploited that weakness, outscoring New Orleans 26-11 in transition points. The Pelicans were missing C Daniel Theis (personal reasons), while Zion Williamson and José Alvarado remained sidelined with hamstring strains.

Rockets: When the Rockets are hitting their 3-pointers, they can be a tough team to handle. Houston now embarks on a three-game trip to Toronto, Charlotte and New Orleans, facing teams with a combined record of 19-44.

Key moment

After both teams scored 27 in the second quarter, the Rockets opened the second half on a 15-3 run, jumping to a 25-point lead that New Orleans never overcame.

Key stat

Houston shot 7 for 10 from 3-point range in the first quarter, tying for its most 3s made in any quarter this season. The Rockets finished the game 17 of 39 from distance, for 43.6%.

Up next

The Pelicans return to New Orleans for a five-game homestand that starts with the Knicks on Saturday night, while Houston visits Toronto on Sunday.