Rematch a chance for rare road win

NEW ORLEANS — The Rockets have not collected many wins with double-digit comebacks, even fewer in close games decided in the final minute.

They did both in the first meeting with the Pelicans, trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter and by seven heading into the final four minutes before pulling out a 104-101 win. Saturday’s meeting with the Pelicans gives them a chance to do something they have done as infrequently, to win a game on the road, or even more rarely, win in the second game of a back-to-back.

The Rockets are 2-10 on the road, 0-3 when playing for the second consecutive night. They also have not done much winning in Smoothie King Center, where they have lost their past five games against the Pelicans.

The Pelicans have won five of their past six games, losing only when the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant scored at the buzzer in a two-point Memphis win on Tuesday.

The Pels are better equipped for the rematch. C.J. McCollum, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado were all out of the first meeting, and have come back since, as the Pelicans have moved past the Rockets to seventh in the Western Conference heading into Friday’s games.

Mid-range master

Though Zion Williamson had a solid game against the Rockets in the first meeting, Houston has often had more trouble with Brandon Ingram. Ingram has averaged 24.7 points per game against the Rockets in his career, the third most he has averaged against any opponent.

While the Rockets’ defense has usually excelled at defending the 3-point line and in the restricted area, Ingram works the mid-range. Ingram has made 48.1% of his shots in the mid-range this season, making 2.9 shots from that area per game, fourth most in the NBA, with his 75 field goals from that range the second most in the league.

He had 31 points in the first meeting, making 3 of his 6 shots from between 10 and 19 feet.

A better bench

The Pelicans were severely shorthanded in the first meeting, with their starting guards and their two backups all out. The Pelicans scored just seven points off the bench, with the Rockets’ reserves outscoring them by 19.

The Pelicans’ depth has become much better, with reserves averaging 39.6 points in the past five games as they made 47.5% of their shots and 44.1% of their 3s.

Jordan Hawkins, who started the first meeting, has averaged the most 3s (2.2) on the most 3-point attempts (six) of NBA rookies. His 10.6 points per game is sixth most of first-year players. He has made at least one 3-pointer in all 21 games played, the longest streak to start a career in NBA history.

Give or takeaways

The Rockets topped the Pelicans in the first meeting despite a much worse shooting percentage (40.9%), 3-point percentage (28.6%) and making fewer free throws (22.) They overcame all that by forcing turnovers and taking care of the ball, areas that have been a strength this season.

The Pelicans committed 18 turnovers, twice as many as the Rockets, as Houston outscored them, 27-4, off turnovers.

The Rockets typically limit the points they allow off turnovers. The 14.9 points opponents have averaged is the third fewest in the NBA. But the Rockets have not scored more points off turnovers in any game than they did against the Pelicans. Their average of 14.6 points off turnovers is fewer than any team other than the Pistons.

The Pelicans allow 16.8 points off turnovers per game, placing them in the middle of the NBA.

A Green light?

Going into Friday’s game, Rockets guard Jalen Green had fallen short of 20 points in six consecutive games, his longest streak since February of the 2021-22 season. He has scored reliably well against the Pelicans, however, scoring a game-high 25 in the first meeting and averaging 23.3 points in eight games against the Pelicans in his career.

His average against the Pelicans is the fourth most against any opponent, the second most against an opponent he has played more than four times. His 46.3% shooting against the Pelicans is the sixth best for him against any opponent.

In the past two seasons, Green has averaged 27 points against the Pelicans. He made 45.7% of his shots, 38.9% of his 3s in New Orleans last season.

Inexplicably, Green has also been his best when playing in the second game of back-to-backs. In 23 games with no rest days in his career, Green made 43.5% of his shots, 40.5% of his 3s and 83.9% of his free throws, all his best percentages when compared to games with other amounts of rest days.

Shorthanded again?

Williamson has played just five games in his career against the Rockets and is questionable to play on Saturday with an illness that kept him out of Thursday’s win against the Cavaliers.

Williamson had 24 points on 8 of 16 shooting in the first meeting and has averaged 23.4 points on 60.3% shooting against the Rockets.

With Williamson out, Ingram and Murphy started together in the frontcourt. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, signed after he was acquired by the Rockets in the trade that sent Kevin Porter Jr. to Oklahoma City and then released, played 20 minutes off the bench with Larry Nance Jr. and Cody Zeller also out. Zeller, like Williamson, is questionable with an illness.