NBA roundup: Rockets crush Pelicans in DeMarcus Cousins’ debut

The host New Orleans Pelicans’ tandem of newly acquired All-Star DeMarcus Cousins and All-Star game most valuable player Anthony Davis was no match for the surging Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

Reserve Lou Williams hit seven three-pointers and scored 27 points in his Rockets debut after a trade from the Lakers, and Houston crushed New Orleans, 129-99.

Davis had 29 points, and Cousins finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds after he was acquired from Sacramento during the break. But New Orleans turned the ball over 20 times and couldn’t keep pace with the firepower of the Rockets, who hit 20 three-pointers.

James Harden had 13 points and 14 assists for Houston. New Orleans’ Omri Casspi, acquired along with Cousins, suffered a broken right thumb.

at Cleveland 119, New York 104: LeBron James recorded his 48th career triple-double and Kyrie Irving scored 23 points, leading Cleveland over New York after the hung on to superstar Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose at the trade deadline. James scored 18 points and had 13 rebounds with 15 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season.

Anthony, the subject of trade rumors because of a strained relationship with Knicks President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson, scored 20 points, making nine of 25 shots from the field.

Portland 112, at Orlando 103: Damian Lillard scored 33 points, C.J. McCollum added 22 and the Trail Blazers snapped a three-game losing streak by spoiling the debut of Terrence Ross. Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points and Evan Fournier added 20 as the Magic lost for the sixth time in seven games.

at Detroit 114, Charlotte 108 (OT): Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 33 points, including three 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter during a pulsating Detroit rally, and the Pistons outlasted the Charlotte Hornets 114-108 in overtime Thursday night.

at Sacramento 116, Denver 100: Willie Cauley-Stein had 29 points and 10 rebounds to help carry the Kings. The Nuggets’ Gary Harris made five three-pointers and had 23 points in a losing cause.