Rockets (41-18), Pelicans (23-35)
Based on a high-volume crowd and intensity on the court, the first few minutes of Thursday’s Southwest Division matchup felt like a playoff game, something the Pelicans would love to experience for real in a couple months. Not long after, however, the visiting Rockets began playing like a team that is already a lock to be there when the postseason begins.
Houston went on an extended 40-16 run that bridged the halves to go up by 30 points in the third quarter, ruining the Pelicans debuts of DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi.