Gordon, Wood guide Rockets past Pelicans for 6th win in row

HOUSTON, Texas — Eric Gordon and Christian Wood both scored 23 points, and the Houston Rockets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 118-108 on Sunday night for their sixth straight win.

The Rockets have pieced together the run after losing 15 straight games.

“At the beginning, frankly, we didn’t really know what we were doing, we hadn’t been through those experiences,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “We had just had training camp and then game after game. Guys who hadn’t been through those moments and the more we do it, the better we get at it.”

Gordon said the keys to the winning streak were twofold: “Defensively, we’re competing, and offensively, unselfish mentality.”

Brandon Ingram scored a season-high 40 points for the Pelicans — the most since dropping 40 against Brooklyn on Nov. 4, 2019.

“I just got some open looks, got to my spots, getting to the rim and attacking mismatches,” Ingram said. “My teammates found me whenever I was open.”

Jonas Valanciunas finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 10, but New Orleans dropped their third game in the last five.

“Just seemed like we couldn’t get into anything with enough force,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Then we just didn’t get enough stops ... We tried to pick it up in the second half, it was a little better. Just got to make more shots, that’s what it comes down to. We did a good job of not turning the ball over, our assists could be higher but we’ve got to make some shots out there.”

Houston’s Daniel Theis netted 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting from the field, and Alperen Sengun finished with 10 points.

New Orleans cut Houston’s eight-point halftime lead to five with 10:48 left in the third quarter, but Gordon single-handedly expanded it back to double digits by scoring the Rockets’next 13 points over a span of 3:46 to balloon the lead to 72-61.

In the fourth quarter, KJ Martin electrified the crowd with a massive putback dunk, which extended the Rockets’lead to 98-87.

New Orleans clawed their way back to trail 111-103 with 3:04 left capped by a Valanciunas j um p er.