Seventeen. It’s the perfect number that summarizes the Houston Rockets’ 130-101 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. No. It’s not 17 points nor 17 assists that contributed to the Rockets’ loss. It was 17 rebounds. But it did not come from 6’11” New Zealand native Steven Adams or sophomore sensation Zion Williamson. Instead, it came from Josh Hart — a 6’5: shooting guard.
Hart became the first guard to have at least 17 boards off the bench since Bonzi Wells achieved the feat with the Kings in 2006. In total, the Pelicans outrebounded the Rockets 65-46 — which included 18 second-chance points.