Rockets (50-22), Pelicans (30-42)
HOUSTON – Not long before tip-off Friday, Houston’s PA announcer asked the crowd at Toyota Center, “Who’s ready to see the Rockets’ 50th win of the season?” A bit earlier, a local reporter asked Houston’s Mike D’Antoni what it meant for his team to get 50 victories – even though it hadn’t happened yet (D’Antoni politely requested he not be asked that until it actually took place).
Houston eventually accomplished that milestone triumph, but it wasn’t easy. New Orleans responded to a slow start by building a lead as large as nine points and trailed just 80-79 entering the fourth quarter.