Davis shines as Pelicans rout Rockets in opener
LOS ANGELES: Anthony Davis scored 32 points and Elfrid Payton finished with a triple double as the New Orleans Pelicans got their NBA season off to a roaring start by clobbering the Houston Rockets 131112 on Wednesday.
Davis also had 16 rebounds and eight assists and Payton finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Pelicans, who led wire-towire.
“I am just taking what the defence gives me,” said Davis. “It is only game one. It is a good win but we still got a lot of work to do.
“To come out with a win against a team like that after the season they had and coming off the season we had, we wanted to come out and set a tempo.”
The Pelicans’ dominating win in front of a crowd of 18,000 at Toyota Center arena in Texas was one of 11 games in the first full night of the 2018-19 NBA season.
League Most Valuable Player James Harden flirted with a triple double, finishing with 18 points, Detroit bt Brooklyn ...................... 103-100 Indiana bt Memphis ....................... 111-83 Orlando bt Miami ........................ 104-101 Milwaukee bt Charlotte ............... 113-112 New York bt Atlanta ...................... 126-107 Toronto bt Cleveland .................... 116-104 New Orleans bt Houston ............. 131-112 San Antonio bt Minnesota ........... 112-108 Utah bt Sacramento ..................... 123-117 Denver bt LA Clippers ..................... 107-98 Phoenix bt Dallas ......................... 121-100 10 assists and nine rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Rockets failed to match New Orleans’ season-opening intensity, especially on defence.
Nikola Mirotic delivered 30 points and 10 rebounds in the blowout as the Pelicans led by as many as 29 points.
Elsewhere, Kawhi Leonard had 24 points and 12 rebounds in his Toronto debut as the Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-104 in the season opener for both teams.