Davis has 30 points, 14 rebounds, leads New Orleans to a 99-90 win over Houston Rockets

HOUSTON — Anthony Davis had 30 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 99-90 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

The Pelicans trailed by one early in the fourth quarter before using a 7-0 run to take a 79-73 lead and they didn't trail again. Ryan Anderson scored the last five points on that spurt to help New Orleans snap a six-game skid in Houston.

Jrue Holiday added 16 points with 10 assists for New Orleans and Anderson had 16 points.

James Harden scored 21 and Dwight Howard had 17 points with 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who lost for just the second time in nine games.

Harden entered the game leading the NBA in scoring and had scored more than 40 points in two of his last three games. But he had a tough night by his standards and made just eight of 23 shots.

Harden made back-to-back layups to get Houston within six, but Holiday answered with a pair of baskets to make it 91-81 with less than 2 ½ minutes left.

Davis scored four quick points to push the Pelicans lead to 83-75 with about seven minutes remaining. He made a layup before stealing the ball from Harden and finishing with a jump shot on the other end.

New Orleans had a six-point lead after a pair of free throws by Cunningham with about five minutes remaining in the third. Houston then used a 9-1 run, capped by a steal and dunk by Trevor Ariza, to take its first lead of the second half, 65-63.

Holiday tied it up with a jump shot before Troy Daniels hit a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter to leave the Rockets up 68-65 entering the fourth quarter.

The Pelicans were up by nine early in the third quarter when Houston scored five quick points, capped by a nifty sequence by Patrick Beverley, Ariza and Harden, to cut the lead to 58-54.

Beverley and Ariza surrounded Davis and Beverley stole the ball as Davis lost his balance and crashed backward to the court. Beverley hit Harden with a long pass and he finished with a layup.

Howard had three blocks on Thursday to give him 1,691 and move him past coach Kevin McHale and into 25th place on the all-time blocked shots list.

TIP-INS

Pelicans: Tyreke Evans missed the game with a bruised right knee. Coach Monty Williams said they'll re-evaluate him on Friday. ... Austin Rivers started in his place and had 10 points and six assists.

Rockets: Kostas Papanikolaou returned after missing five games with a strained right knee. ... Francisco Garcia (calf, strained Achilles) and Terrence Jones (left leg nerve inflammation) remain out.

UP NEXT

Pelicans: Host Portland Saturday.