LOS ANGELES (AFP) – The New Orleans Pelicans shrugged off multiple injuries and uncertainty surrounding star Anthony Davis on Tuesday, rallying for a 121-116 NBA victory over the Houston Rockets.
One day after Davis requested a trade, and with five of the team’s top six scorers – Anthony included – absent because of injury, the Pelicans withstood a 37-point performance from Rockets star James Harden to triumph.
Jahlil Okafor scored 27 points for New Orleans. Jrue Holiday added 19 and Ian Clark chipped in 15 off the bench for a New Orleans team that used its 20th different starting lineup of the season thanks to injuries to Davis, Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton.
New Orleans took the lead for the first time in the game with 2:06 left in the third quarter on Kenrich Williams’ basket – and they never trailed again.
Holiday played a key role with six blocked shots, helping slow scoring juggernaut Harden just enough to get the job done.
Harden notched his 24th straight game of at least 30 points, but his 17 in the fourth quarter weren’t enough to turn the tide.
