NEW ORLEANS -- — Saddiq Bey scored 21 of his season-high 29 points after halftime, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 25-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 133-128 in overtime on Thursday night.

Trey Murphy scored 27 points and Herb Jones had 18 points and a career-high eight steals before fouling out for the Pelicans, who've won three straight after winning just three of their first 25 games.

The 25-point comeback tied a franchise high and was the largest second-half comeback in franchise history, which dates back to the 2002-03 season.

Jordan Poole scored 15 points, capped by two free throws with 12 seconds left in overtime that put the Pelicans up 131-128. Houston's Reed Sheppard missed two shots from 3-point range in the final seconds before Bey got the rebound and hit game-sealing free throws with 2 seconds left in the extra period as a jubilant crowd that had been on its feet since the final minutes of regulation celebrated the unlikely comeback.

Kevin Durant scored 32 points and Alperen Sengun had 28 for Houston, but Sengun was unable to get off a shot for the win after dribbling into the paint in the final seconds of regulation.

Sengun missed two free throws with 43 seconds left in the fourth quarter, allowing New Orleans to complete the second-half comeback and tie it at 117 on Bey's driving finger roll with 31 seconds to play.

Rookie Derik Queen had 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, and his 18-foot jumper sparked an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter. The surge ended with Bey's dunk and pulled the Pelicans to 101-96.

Durant helped Houston dominate early by scoring 13 points in the first quarter, hitting his first five shots, including three 3s.

The Pelicans, by contrast, missed 20 of 29 shots in the paint during the first half.

Durant had 18 points by halftime, when Houston led 67-45.

New Orleans methodically trimmed its deficit to 13 in the third quarter before entering the fourth quarter trailing 99-83.

Up next

Rockets: At the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

Pelicans: Host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

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AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Alperen Sengun vs. Derik Queen (Jeremiah Fears gains possession)	0	0
11:47	Trey Murphy III makes 15-foot jumper (Derik Queen assists)	2	0
11:28	Alperen Sengun bad pass turnover (Trey Murphy III steals)	2	0
11:24	Kevin Durant blocks Herbert Jones 's 1-foot running layup	2	0
11:20	Amen Thompson defensive rebound	2	0
11:11	Kevin Durant makes 20-foot pullup jump shot (Alperen Sengun assists)	2	2
10:47	Derik Queen lost ball turnover (Alperen Sengun steals)	2	2
10:42	Amen Thompson makes running dunk	2	4
10:32	Jeremiah Fears misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	2	4
10:30	Derik Queen offensive rebound	2	4
10:27	Alperen Sengun blocks Jeremiah Fears 's 2-foot layup	2	4
10:27	Pelicans offensive team rebound	2	4
10:24	Saddiq Bey makes 23-foot three pointer (Herbert Jones assists)	5	4
10:04	Alperen Sengun misses 7-foot hook shot	5	4
10:00	Saddiq Bey defensive rebound	5	4
9:56	Amen Thompson shooting foul	5	4
9:56	Trey Murphy III makes free throw 1 of 2	6	4
9:56	Trey Murphy III makes free throw 2 of 2	7	4
9:41	Trey Murphy III personal foul	7	4
9:37	Herbert Jones personal foul	7	4
9:33	Josh Okogie vs. Jeremiah Fears (Alperen Sengun gains possession)	7	4
9:29	Jabari Smith Jr. misses 23-foot three point jumper	7	4
9:27	Jabari Smith Jr. offensive rebound	7	4
9:24	Kevin Durant makes 24-foot three point jumper (Amen Thompson assists)	7	7
9:18	Saddiq Bey makes 25-foot three pointer (Jeremiah Fears assists)	10	7
9:06	Kevin Durant bad pass turnover (Herbert Jones steals)	10	7
9:01	Saddiq Bey misses two point shot	10	7
8:59	Trey Murphy III offensive rebound	10	7
8:59	Trey Murphy III makes tip shot	12	7
8:59	Rockets Full timeout	12	7
8:46	Josh Okogie misses two point shot	12	7
8:43	Alperen Sengun offensive rebound	12	7
8:42	Alperen Sengun makes two point shot	12	9
8:23	Herbert Jones misses driving layup	12	9
8:22	Pelicans offensive team rebound	12	9
8:15	Herbert Jones makes 22-foot three point jumper (Derik Queen assists)	15	9
7:49	Kevin Durant makes 25-foot three point jumper (Alperen Sengun assists)	15	12
7:27	Saddiq Bey misses 7-foot fade away jump shot	15	12
7:25	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	15	12
7:14	Jabari Smith Jr. bad pass turnover (Herbert Jones steals)	15	12
7:08	Jeremiah Fears misses running layup	15	12
7:08	Rockets defensive team rebound	15	12
7:08	Derik Queen loose ball foul	15	12
7:08	Jose Alvarado enters the game for Saddiq Bey	15	12
7:08	Jordan Poole enters the game for Herbert Jones	15	12
7:08	Zion Williamson enters the game for Jeremiah Fears	15	12
6:52	Amen Thompson makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Alperen Sengun assists)	15	14
6:39	Amen Thompson blocks Derik Queen 's 2-foot driving layup	15	14
6:36	Amen Thompson defensive rebound	15	14
6:33	Amen Thompson makes running layup	15	16
6:33	Pelicans Full timeout	15	16
6:33	Yves Missi enters the game for Derik Queen	15	16
6:33	Reed Sheppard enters the game for Amen Thompson	15	16
6:33	Steven Adams enters the game for Alperen Sengun	15	16
6:21	Jabari Smith Jr. personal foul	15	16
6:09	Kevin Durant blocks Zion Williamson's driving layup	15	16
6:06	Steven Adams defensive rebound	15	16
6:01	Steven Adams lost ball turnover (Jordan Poole steals)	15	16
5:51	Jordan Poole misses 20-foot pullup jump shot	15	16
5:48	Reed Sheppard defensive rebound	15	16
5:41	Reed Sheppard makes 27-foot three pointer	15	19
5:30	Yves Missi out of bounds bad pass turnover	15	19
5:15	Kevin Durant makes 24-foot three point jumper (Reed Sheppard assists)	15	22
4:54	Trey Murphy III makes driving layup	17	22
4:54	Reed Sheppard shooting foul	17	22
4:54	Trey Murphy III makes free throw 1 of 1	18	22
4:38	Steven Adams makes layup (Josh Okogie assists)	18	24
4:38	Jose Alvarado shooting foul	18	24
4:38	Amen Thompson enters the game for Josh Okogie	18	24
4:38	Steven Adams makes free throw 1 of 1	18	25
4:20	Trey Murphy III makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot (Zion Williamson assists)	20	25
4:04	Kevin Durant makes 13-foot two point shot	20	27
3:48	Trey Murphy III misses 5-foot floating jump shot	20	27
3:45	Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound	20	27
3:37	Steven Adams makes dunk (Kevin Durant assists)	20	29
3:18	Jordan Poole misses driving layup	20	29
3:14	Yves Missi offensive rebound	20	29
3:12	Jose Alvarado misses 24-foot three point jumper	20	29
3:08	Jose Alvarado offensive rebound	20	29
3:06	Jordan Poole misses 23-foot three point jumper	20	29
3:04	Pelicans offensive team rebound	20	29
3:04	Herbert Jones enters the game for Trey Murphy III	20	29
3:04	Alperen Sengun enters the game for Kevin Durant	20	29
2:54	Herbert Jones misses 15-foot pullup jump shot	20	29
2:51	Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound	20	29
2:45	Steven Adams misses 10-foot floating jump shot	20	29
2:43	Yves Missi defensive rebound	20	29
2:37	Herbert Jones misses 23-foot three point jumper	20	29
2:34	Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound	20	29
2:28	Jabari Smith Jr. misses 14-foot pullup jump shot	20	29
2:25	Jose Alvarado defensive rebound	20	29
2:21	Herbert Jones misses 23-foot running jump shot	20	29
2:17	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	20	29
2:10	Reed Sheppard misses 28-foot three point jumper	20	29
2:06	Jose Alvarado defensive rebound	20	29
1:54	Zion Williamson makes 2-foot two point shot (Jose Alvarado assists)	22	29
1:36	Jabari Smith Jr. makes driving layup (Steven Adams assists)	22	31
1:20	Herbert Jones misses 26-foot three point jumper	22	31
1:16	Amen Thompson defensive rebound	22	31
1:11	Jabari Smith Jr. lost ball turnover (Jordan Poole steals)	22	31
1:02	Herbert Jones misses 22-foot three point jumper	22	31
58.5	Reed Sheppard defensive rebound	22	31
48.0	Jabari Smith Jr. makes 9-foot two point shot (Amen Thompson assists)	22	33
32.5	Jose Alvarado misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	22	33
29.7	Herbert Jones offensive rebound	22	33
29.2	Herbert Jones makes two point shot	24	33
9.1	Alperen Sengun misses 9-foot turnaround jump shot	24	33
8.8	Rockets offensive team rebound	24	33
8.8	Yves Missi loose ball foul	24	33
8.8	Steven Adams misses free throw 1 of 2	24	33
8.8	Rockets offensive team rebound	24	33
8.8	Trey Murphy III enters the game for Herbert Jones	24	33
8.8	Aaron Holiday enters the game for Reed Sheppard	24	33
8.8	Josh Okogie enters the game for Alperen Sengun	24	33
8.8	Saddiq Bey enters the game for Yves Missi	24	33
8.8	Steven Adams misses free throw 2 of 2	24	33
6.3	Josh Okogie offensive rebound	24	33
3.9	Josh Okogie misses layup	24	33
0.9	Jabari Smith Jr. offensive rebound	24	33
0.9	Jabari Smith Jr. misses tip shot	24	33
0.9	Jabari Smith Jr. offensive rebound	24	33
0.9	Jabari Smith Jr. misses 5-foot tip shot	24	33
0.9	Saddiq Bey defensive rebound	24	33
0.0	Saddiq Bey misses heave jump shot	24	33
0.0	Pelicans offensive team rebound	24	33
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	24	33

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Smoothie King Center

New Orleans, LA

Date & Time

1:00 AM, December 19, 2025

Coverage

GCSEN, Pelicans.com, Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass

Attendance

16,766

Referees

James Capers, Mousa Dagher, Brent Haskill

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	36	16	.692	W4
Houston	32	19	.627	W1
Memphis	20	31	.392	L2
Dallas	19	33	.365	L7
New Orleans	14	40	.259	W1

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Bey has season-high 29 points to lead Pelicans' 25-point comeback in a 133-128 OT win over Houston

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