Rockets Survive Wild Fourth Quarter to Beat Pelicans 107-105, Claim Third Place in the West
There are wins, and then there are wins that make you grip your armrest and hold your breath until the final buzzer. Friday night at Toyota Center was the latter.
The Houston Rockets outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans 107-105 in a game that had no business being as close as it was — and yet, somehow, that’s exactly what made it so good.
Kevin Durant hit an 18-foot pull-up jumper with 7.6 seconds on the clock to put the Rockets ahead for good. Two costly Pelicans turnovers sealed the deal. Houston’s 18,055 fans exhaled. The Rockets moved into third place in the Western Conference. Just like that.
Kevin Durant Delivered When the Rockets Needed It Most
Two nights after a forgettable 11-point performance in a blowout loss to Denver, Durant answered the only way he knows how — quietly, efficiently, and when it mattered most.
He finished with 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting, adding six rebounds and five assists. His mid-range game was a clinic. That go-ahead 18-footer in the final seconds was the kind of shot that separates good players from great ones. No hesitation. No panic. Pure execution.
“Our offense was clicking outside of making wide-open shots,” Durant said after the Denver loss. “It’s a make-or-miss league.” On Friday, he made the one that counted.
The Rockets Got Real Support Around KD
Durant didn’t do it alone — not even close.
Amen Thompson was everywhere. He finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, playing 40 hard minutes. He was aggressive driving to the rim, smart with the ball in the pick-and-roll, and relentless on the glass. This is the Amen Thompson that Rockets fans have been waiting to see.
Reed Sheppard came off the bench and shot with confidence, hitting 5-of-11 from three to finish with 18 points. His energy was infectious. And Jabari Smith Jr. added 16 points and hit a big three late in the fourth quarter that tied the game before Durant took over.
It wasn’t always pretty. But the Rockets found a way.
Dejounte Murray Was Sensational — Just Not Enough
Let’s give credit where it’s due. Dejounte Murray was, by every measure, the best player on the floor Friday night.
He scored 35 points on an absurdly efficient 14-of-18 from the field, hitting 4-of-5 from three. He added seven rebounds, four assists, and a steal in 30 minutes. Murray is playing some of the most inspired basketball of his career right now, and watching him operate is a genuine joy.
But two pivotal mistakes in the final 13 seconds erased everything. First, Murray stepped out of bounds while the Pelicans held a one-point lead. Then, after Durant put the Rockets ahead, Zion Williamson threw the ball out of bounds, gifting Houston two free throws.
It was a gut-punch ending for a Pelicans squad that had fought hard all night.
What This Win Means for the Rockets
The Rockets are now 41-25 on the season. Third place in the West is theirs — for now.
The Western Conference is a war zone. The Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets are all breathing down Houston’s neck. This was not the kind of dominant statement win you’d hope for heading into a five-game homestand.
The Rockets have been inconsistent. They’ve surrendered monster numbers on defense, struggled with turnovers, and endured blowout losses they couldn’t explain. But when it gets tight — when the game is on the line, and the crowd is standing — Houston finds something.
That something is Durant.
