NBA Update: Anthony Davis Delivers Monster Game As New Orleans Pelicans Rip Houston Rockets

Anthony Davis had 30 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to lead the New Orleans Pelicans past the Houston Rockets, 99-90 on Thursday as Jrue Holiday added 16 points with 10 assists, Ryan Anderson scored 16 and Omer Asik grabbed six boards in the win.

Davis exploded with 15 of the Pelicans' first 17 points but the Rockets took a 22-21 at the end of the first quarter with James Harden scoring eight. The Pelicans used a 5-0 run late in the second quarter to take a 46-39 lead at halftime.

The Pelicans went up by 49-39 early in the third after a Luke Babbitt 3-pointer. Another Babbit 3 made it 58-49 at 8:04 of the third before Harden and Dwight Howard scored five quick points to cut the lead to 58-54.

The Rockets 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 with 2:15 left in the third. The Pelicans opened the fourth quarter with a 7-2 spurt to take a 72-70 lead. Dante Cunningham started the run with a 3-pointer followed by an alley-oop dunk by Davis. Anderson hit a 3-pointer and sank a couple of free throws in a 7-0 Pelicans run to take a 79-73 lead, which they never relinquished.

Davis scored four quick points to push the Pelicans lead to 83-75 with about seven minutes remaining. Cunningham had a couple of jumpers and Holiday added a basket to give the Pelicans a safe 99-90 lead with 29 seconds remaining Harden, who finished with 21 points, said the Rockets struggled most around the rim. They missed several layups that are usually makes for them.

Dwight Howard had 17 points with 13 rebounds and three blocks, giving him 1,691 career in his career. With his third block of the night, he passed McHale for 25th on all-time NBA blocks list.