Late turnovers undo comeback
NEW ORLEANS — The Rockets did not just come back, as they often had this season. They took a lead and built it to eight points in the fourth quarter.
They did not just recover after the Pelicans surged back in front. They got an alley-oop slam from Jalen Green and a slick drive from Kevin Porter Jr. to tie the game heading to its final two minutes.
The Rockets had overcome just about everything necessary to beat the Pelicans. They could not but will head home convinced that they beat themselves.
The Rockets could not survive a night filled with turnovers from start to finish, most of all the three straight after the game was tied, sending the Pelicans to a flying finish and a 119106 win Saturday at Smoothie King Center.
The Rockets committed a season-high 26 turnovers, nine in the fourth quarter. The last turnover came when Jose Alvarado stole an inbounds pass with 15.7 seconds left and began celebrating with Kevin Porter Jr. grabbing him until they needed to be separated. Both received double ejections before the Pelicans completed a 29-8 run to finish the game.
Jalen Green led the Rockets with 33 points and six assists, matching his season high. Porter had 23 points but seven turnovers. Jabari Smith Jr. had a season high 15 rebounds.
Zion Williamson made 8 of 9 shots for 26 points while Larry Nance Jr. had a season-high 22 off the bench.
A comeback, but …
The Rockets seemed buried. They were down 18. After a brief push to start the second half, the Pelicans had restored the 18-point lead. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram were getting whatever shots they chose. The Rockets turnovers were piling up, even by their standards.
But there had been two consistent things about the start of the Rockets season. When they played, they rarely played in Houston. And when they got desperately behind, they usually rally.
The Rockets turned around Saturday's game as impressively, and perhaps as improbably, as in any this season. They turned up the defense, controlled the boards and let their scorers — primarily Green — heat up.
The Rockets outscored the Pelicans 34-9 in a span of 8 ½ minutes to end the third quarter and start the fourth. They led by as much as eight, still scoring well when Green sat with a good run from their high energy frontcourt of K.J. Martin, Usman Garuba and Tari Eason.
The Pelicans got their stars, Williamson and Ingram back in with nine minutes left and Williamson went to work. But the Rockets sent help to cut him off, giving up some second shots to Larry Nance Jr. because of it. But mostly they turned the ball over too much to maintain the momentum they had when they mounted their comeback and took the lead.
Zion’s national park
Williamson made barely a hint of a move to his left, but that was enough. Jabari Smith Jr. was no longer squared in front of him. There was no chance he would get there.
When the drive was complete, Williamson bent the rim unmercifully, his sixth bucket without a miss giving him 17 points barely three minutes into the second half.
Williamson had played just three games in his career against the Rockets prior to Saturday's. He made up for lost time.
The Rockets do not have a great matchup for a 6-6, 285-pound wrecking ball with touch. It is difficult to imagine who does.
But for a slender teenager, Williamson is a particularly tough assignment. Mostly, Williams is just that good.
Gold medal road trip
For the second-consecutive game, Rockets center Usman Garuba played against one of his World Cup teammates. Well, he played in a game with one of the Hernangomez brothers there.
After facing the Raptors and Juancho Hernangomez on Wednesday, he went against the Pelicans and Willy Hernangomez. They are not getting playing time on strong and deep frontcourts. Garuba, however, continued in his role as Alperen Sengun's primary backup.
He was not the only one. With Sengun in foul trouble in the first half and limited to 10 minutes, Boban Marjanovic played four minutes in the first half, his most playing time this season and one of the few games in which his playing time was before the benches were cleared.
On Saturday, he played in the second quarter with the Rockets shifting to a zone they have used nearly as rarely as they have played Marjanovic.
They had some initial success with it. Marjanovic made his one shot, got a couple rebounds and got his hands on a few other boards the Rockets pulled in. But the Pels adjusted to the zone and before long, Sengun returned.
Homeward bound
The Rockets on Saturday headed home for their fourth of their one-game homestands in the first month of the season. But at last, when they pack to leave again, they know the worst of their early-season travel schedule is behind them and the next time they pack up to leave (on Tuesday) they can use smaller suitcases.
The game in New Orleans completed the Rockets stretch of 10 road games in their first 13, matching the most road games in 13 to start a season in NBA history.
The Pelicans, playing the second game in a sixgame homestand, were happy to have gotten their own early-season travels behind them. With eight road games, only the Jazz (nine) and Rockets have played more.
“I think we're all glad to be home for a little bit and kind of rejuvenate, refresh and get ready,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said.
The Rockets look forward to seeing what he means. After playing the Clippers on Monday, they head back out to play in Dallas on Wednesday.
Besides missing the advantage of playing at home, the Rockets could use the benefits of practicing there.
“There's less practice time (on the road,)” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “There's less extra time. You're slotted at the gym. We're only allowed two hours at the gym and the rest of the time is down time. You can get treatment but actual basketball development part, most of that is done at home, after practice, before practice, when you have unlimited time in your facility. When you're on the road, you don't have that time.”
The Rockets also saw the other benefits of playing in friendly confines.
“The momentum of having a home game and then another home game coming up or just the energy you get from the home crowd that a young team especially, especially the way we play up and down, lob dunks and that kind of thing can get a crowd going,” Silas said. “We haven't had that kind of opportunity yet but in three out of (13) games.”