Rockets come from behind to defeat Pelicans

Houston Rockets came from behind in the final quarter to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 111-104 in the NBA, averting a three-game losing streak.

Rockets had lost two games in a row and needed a victory to maintain their spot in the Western Conference standings with the post-season just days away, reports Xinhua.

They started rather slow in the first half and trailed by as many as 15 points Saturday. They found their offensive tempo in the third quarter but still couldn't cut the double-digit deficit as the Pelicans didn't relent.

It was only in the fourth quarter that the Rockets had a few spurts to narrow the gap and eventually overtook Pelicans with minutes remaining.

Dwight Howard and Pat Beverley, who each missed the last eight games with injuries, gave Houston a boost in their return to the court. James Harden led the Rockets with 33 points and 13 assists. Howard added 13 points and six rebounds while Beverly had 20 points and four assists.

Luke Babbitt finished with a career-high 24 points for New Orleans as the team dropped its eighth straight. Austin Rivers had a season-high 20 points with 10 rebounds and six assists while Anthony Morrow also had 20 points.

The win helped Houston stay ahead of Portland in fourth place in the West.