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Pelicans try to stop slide versus Rockets

Jan 15, 2014 - 3:40 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The New Orleans Pelicans will try to halt a six-game losing streak Wednesday night when they welcome Southwest Division rivals, the Houston Rockets, to New Orleans Arena.

The Pelicans haven't won since Jan 3 in Boston and three of the losses on this recent slide came in the Big Easy.

It's easy to figure out why the Pelicans have struggled. Leading scorer Ryan Anderson took an ugly fall in the Celtics game, suffered a herniated disc and acknowledged he could be done for the season.

"I have my fingers crossed (to return this season)," Anderson said. "I will be praying for that. Obviously I was to be back as soon as possible. (But) this is something that if I got hit again, it could be more than just career ending. So I want to be careful about it."

At minimum, Anderson will be shut down for two months.

All-Star point Jrue Holiday is out of action for the immediate future with a stress fracture in his right tibia. Tyreke Evans is questionable for Wednesday's game with a sore left ankle, which has cost him the last two games.

On Saturday, the Pelicans were game, but didn't have enough to hold off the San Antonio Spurs. New Orleans fell at home, 101-95.

"We had our chances tonight and we just didn't execute down the stretch," New Orleans head coach Monty Williams said.

Anthony Davis filled the stat sheet with 22 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks for New Orleans. Brian Roberts scored 19 points, while Eric Gordon added 12 points and Austin Rivers registered 11 off the bench in the loss.

The Rockets have won two in a row and Wednesday's tilt will end a four-game road trip. Houston dropped the opener in Atlanta, but topped Washington and Boston before reaching New Orleans.

Against the Celtics on Saturday, Dwight Howard scored 32 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and made enough free throws down the stretch to lift the Rockets to a 104-92 victory.

Jeremy Lin recorded 16 points and nine assists, James Harden netted 16 points as well and Chandler Parsons returned from a three-game absence to add 14 points for the Rockets.

"It was really good tonight. I thought it was going to be a lot more sore," Parsons said of his injured knee that kept him sidelined.

Terrence Jones registered a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Omri Casspi also netted 12 for the second unit.

The Rockets return to Houston for a five-game homestand Friday with the Oklahoma City Thunder in town. Milwaukee, Portland, Sacramento and Memphis also visit Space City.

The Rockets beat the Pelicans earlier this season and have taken seven of the last 10 meetings. Houston, however, has lost seven of its last 10 in New Orleans.