Houston @ New Orleans preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 11, 2017 ) New Orleans 123, Houston 130

The New Orleans Pelicans have been picking on some sub-.500 teams during their current winning streak, but they get a big step up in competition when the surging Houston Rockets come to town Friday night. Consecutive victories over Memphis, Chicago and Charlotte give the Pelicans six wins in their last seven games overall and lifted the team to a season-high five games over .500.

"We just have to keep it going especially Friday, you know (Houston is) a tough team," All-Star forward Anthony Davis told reporters after a 101-96 win in Charlotte on Wednesday. "This team scores well. We just have to lock in defensively." Any defensive game plan against the Rockets begins with trying to figure out how to slow down James Harden, who went for 25 points and 13 assists in a 104-97 victory at Dallas. After posting 10 points on 3-of-15 shooting in his first game back from a hamstring injury, Harden is averaging 25 points while making 16-of-32 3-pointers over the last three outings. The six-time All-Star recorded 26 points, a career high-tying 17 assists and a season-high six steals to lead Houston to a 130-123 win over New Orleans - which was without Davis - in the first meeting last month.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (34-12): While Harden was given another All-Star nod this week, he and others in the organization were puzzled by the omission of fellow guard Chris Paul, who was left off the Western Conference squad despite averaging 18.8 points, 8.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals. "People that should be watching games don't watch the games and see how important a guy is," coach Mike D'Antoni said prior to the win over Dallas. "It's perplexing." Paul posted 20 points, nine boards, six assists and three steals in the earlier win over New Orleans.

ABOUT THE PELICANS (26-21): Jrue Holiday has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in three of the past four games, helping to take a load off of Davis and fellow All-Star DeMarcus Cousins. "(Hornets center Dwight Howard) wanted it to be a tough night for me offensively and we just kind of took advantage of it. I noticed it and I told Jrue the paint was wide-open," Cousins told reporters Wednesday. "Jrue is a big guard. I don't think anybody in the league can guard him one-on-one and I told him to just take advantage of it." Holiday is averaging 20.2 points and shooting 50.6 percent in January and had a season-high 37 points in the visit to Houston.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Cousins has at least a double-double in 13 of the last 14 games.

2. Rockets SG Eric Gordon made 4-of-7 3-pointers against Dallas after missing all 16 of his long-range attempts over the previous two contests.

3. Houston has won nine of the last 11 meetings.

PREDICTION: Rockets 117, Pelicans 115