Pelicans Storm Back to Stun Rockets After 25-Point Deficit in New Orleans
The Rockets came into New Orleans on Thursday night looking like a team ready to handle business. For two quarters, they did just that-dominating the Pelicans on both ends and cruising into halftime with a 22-point lead. But in a game that flipped faster than a French Quarter jazz riff, Houston saw it all unravel in the second half, falling 133-128 in overtime to a Pelicans team that had just six wins entering the night.
Let’s be clear-this one’s going to sting for the Rockets.
Rockets Start Hot, Then Go Cold
Kevin Durant was nearly perfect in the first half. The All-Star forward didn’t miss a shot until the third quarter, finishing the opening 24 minutes with a 7-for-7 line and 18 points. He was in full control, picking apart New Orleans’ defense with his signature midrange game and smooth perimeter shooting.
Inside, Alperen Sengun was bullying the Pelicans’ smaller frontcourt, carving out space in the paint and finishing with touch. Rookie Amen Thompson was everywhere-active on the glass, pushing the pace, defending multiple positions. It was the kind of balanced, high-energy start Houston has used to beat some of the league’s top teams this season.
By halftime, the Rockets were up 67-45. The Smoothie King Center was quiet. The Rockets looked like they were on cruise control.
Then the wheels came off.
Pelicans Flip the Script
Whatever was said in the Pelicans' locker room at halftime worked. New Orleans came out with urgency, physicality, and a defensive game plan that completely disrupted Houston’s rhythm.
The Pelicans outscored the Rockets 88-61 in the second half and overtime. That’s not a typo. It was a full-on blitz, and Houston didn’t have an answer.
“We didn’t play with enough energy or a sense of urgency,” Durant said postgame. “They got whatever they wanted. We weren’t playing together, we weren’t swinging the ball, we just relaxed too much.”
That third quarter was the turning point. The Rockets came out flat, and the Pelicans pounced.
New Orleans turned up the pressure on Durant, sending double-teams at him as soon as he crossed halfcourt. It was a smart adjustment-take the ball out of the hands of the guy who couldn’t miss in the first half and force someone else to beat you.
The problem for Houston? They didn’t make the Pelicans pay.
Double-Teams and Missed Opportunities
This wasn’t the first time Durant has seen traps and hard doubles this season, and it won’t be the last. But the Rockets still haven’t consistently punished teams for overcommitting to him.
With two defenders on Durant, that leaves four Rockets playing against three defenders. That should be an advantage-if the ball moves.
Head coach Ime Udoka didn’t shy away from that postgame.
“You’ve got to get him off-ball and get some movement,” Udoka said. “It is a little too stagnant and standing… Teams should be scared with the personnel we have behind him.”
Durant echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the need to trust the offense and keep the ball moving when defenses collapse on him.
“At that point, you have to play team ball,” Durant said. “I think we got good looks.
We got guys open, and we just didn’t convert. Every possession can’t be about just me trying to get the ball.
It is a team game.”
He’s not wrong. The Rockets had their chances.
They got open looks. They just didn’t knock them down.
And when the Pelicans started to heat up, Houston couldn’t match their energy or execution.
A Rare Letdown in an Otherwise Strong Season
This was the Rockets’ first time dropping back-to-back games in the 2025-26 campaign, and it drops them to 3-4 in December after a red-hot start to the season. At 16-8 overall, they’re still in a strong position in the Western Conference, but Thursday’s collapse is a reminder that no lead is safe-and no opponent can be taken lightly.
Losing to a 6-22 team is tough. Losing after leading by 25 is even tougher.
But it’s how the Rockets lost that will leave a mark. The energy disappeared.
The ball movement stalled. The urgency faded.
And the Pelicans took full advantage.
For a team with playoff aspirations, these are the kinds of games that demand a response. The Rockets have shown they can compete with the league’s best. Now they’ve got to show they can bounce back from a gut-punch like this.
Because in the NBA, the Big Easy can turn into the Big Regret in a hurry.