The Houston Rockets cruised to a dominant 32-point win over the New Orleans Pelicans thanks to these reasons.
of their road trip with a huge 134-102 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on the road in Smoothie King Center on Sunday night. The Rockets improved to 45-29 on the season and are temporarily tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fifth in the Western Conference.
Houston won the season series against New Orleans 2-1 and made sure to close the game out after blowing a massive lead against them on the road back in December.and Jabari Smith Jr. each put up 20 points while Durant also dished out six assists. Here are three takeaways from the game.Mar 29, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant talks to forward Tari Eason as a time out is called against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images After a 29-29 tie at the end of the first quarter, the Rockets heated up and went on a 36-8 extended run till halftime that gave them complete control. It started at the end of the first period and continued through the second as Houston was down 26-20 at one point. The Rockets completely dominated the second quarter and won it 39-18. Houston put up 68 first half points and were up 21 points at halftime at 68-41. It was a 20-3 run in the second quarter that allowed the Rockets to pull away. Turnovers have always been a problem for the Rockets, but they only gave up four turnovers that resulted in 0 points for New Orleans. There were multiple contributors during that stretch besides Sengun such as Jabari Smith Jr. who knocked down a couple of 3-pointers as well as Durant.Sengun was the man in this game, and he took over in the first half, specifically the second quarter. Sengun put up 20 first half points and was a surprising 3/3 from beyond the arc. His 3-point shot looked the best it has all season. Sengun was also 7/10 from the field with no turnovers. The two-time All-Star had one of the best second quarters in recent history with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, 3 steals, and two blocks. He made two great passes to Amen Thompson that closed out the first half with all the momentum. He ended up going a career-high 5/7 from downtown. Sengun had a total of 36 points in 32 minutes on 52% shooting. He also got another double-double with 14 rebounds as well as seven assists, three steals, and three blocks.Tari Eason is doing exactly what he’s supposed to do off the bench. He brought the energy and productivity expected. It looks like Eason has finally found his shot again after going through a one-and-a-half-month slump. Eason added 15 points off the bench on 50% shooting from the field and he also was 3/5 from three along with seven rebounds. 12 of those points were in the first half. Thewas quite effective in this game with 40 total points. With the nature of the blowout, many players got time at the end. However, 16 of those bench points came in the first half. Aaron Holiday got 25 minutes and contributed with nine points while Clint Capela added six points, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 16 minutes. The backup big man was effective across the board in limited action. Jae'Sean Tate got 13 points and gave four points. A big game awaits the Rockets at home in Toyota Center on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks on NBC.Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI and Houston Rockets on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.How the Rockets can Help Loosen Defensive Coverages on Kevin Durant
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