Rockets 95 - 93 Pelicans
Final
  for this game

Rockets hope to have Howard against Pelicans

Mar 25, 2015 - 1:49 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Dwight Howard returns to the Houston Rockets lineup on Wednesday when his team visits Smoothie King Center to tangle with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Howard hasn't played since Jan. 23 due to a balky knee. Houston went 17-9 in his absence, thanks in large part to the MVP-caliber season of James Harden. The Rockets are third in the Western Conference, 2 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies and 1 1/2 games in front of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Howard will be on a minutes restriction Wednesday night. His availability is predicated on how he feels Wednesday, but assuming there were no setbacks after Tuesday's practice, he'll be good to go.

"I am always anxious to play," Howard said. "Not being on the floor for a long time, watching from the sidelines is hard. I will be happy to finally get back out there and play."

Howard isn't the only injury issue head coach Kevin McHale is facing. Point guard Patrick Beverley (left wrist) and Terrence Jones (collapsed lung) are both out Wednesday, while Corey Brewer (oblique) and Josh Smith (ankle) are listed as probable.

Harden led the Rockets in the opener of this two-game road trip with 44 points in a 110-100 in over the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Houston led by as many as 21 until earning its second consecutive road win.

Harden was 10-of-21 from the field, including 3-of-8 on 3-pointers, and made 21 of his 22 free throw attempts to fill the stat sheet again four days after scoring a career-high 50 points against Denver.

"He was just solid," McHale said of Harden. "I've said all year, that we wouldn't have our record if he wasn't playing at an MVP level."

Smith added 18 points off the bench and Donatas Motiejunas scored 17 in the win.

The Pelicans are fighting for a playoff berth in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. New Orleans is 10th in the conference, 3 1/2 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder with the Phoenix Suns in between.

New Orleans is mired in a three-game losing streak as it was swept in a western road trip by the Suns, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.

On Sunday, the Pels fell to the Clips, 107-100.

Anthony Davis posted 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans, but wasn't involved much down the stretch as Los Angeles pulled away. Eric Gordon came off the bench with 23 points.

"Their defense is pretty good at the rim, but we had too many senseless turnovers," Pelicans head coach Monty Williams said.

LA turned 18 Pelicans turnovers into 30 points.

Both teams shot 50 percent in the third, but the Clippers made four more field goals and won the period by seven to take a 10-point lead. They also scored eight straight points to bridge the third and fourth quarters, and a late 7-0 run put the game out of reach.

The Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves on this stay.

New Orleans has won both meetings this season and the two teams will meet again on April 12 in Houston.






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