(SportsNetwork. Anthony Rizzo Jersey .com) - The Houston Rockets will try to build some momentum Friday night when they visit the Smoothie King Center to face the New Orleans Pelicans. The Rockets ended a two-game slide in impressive fashion on Wednesday. They clobbered the over-matched Charlotte Hornets, 102-83, thanks to a big night from James Harden. The MVP candidate made a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 36 points to lead the Rockets. Harden also had seven rebounds and six assists for the Rockets and has scored at least 28 points in his last five games. He leads the NBA with 27.7 ppg. I felt real comfortable. My shot felt good all night, Harden said. Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas added 14 and 12 points, respectively, for Houston, which went 17-of-43 from beyond the arc. Dwight Howard contributed 11 points and eight rebounds. The newest Rockets - Josh Smith and Corey Brewer - didnt do much on Wednesday. They scored five points each on a combined 4-for-15 shooting, but the Rockets did the job on defense. Houston held the Hornets to 38.2 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from long range. The Rockets forced 18 turnovers and are third in opponents scoring and fifth in opponents field goal percentage. Their defense is good, really good actually, Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. The Pelicans have alternated wins and losses over their last eight games to stay at .500. New Orleans has won two straight in the Big Easy, but lost last time out. The Pelicans fell Wednesday in San Antonio, 95-93, in overtime against the defending champion Spurs. New Orleans had taken an 84-82 edge on Anthony Davis second-chance slam with 0.7 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Pelicans Omer Asik inadvertently tipped in Boris Diaws inbounds pass for Tim Duncan as the buzzer sounded to force extra time. The Pelicans recovered to start the overtime strong, putting forth a 7-2 run capped by Davis steal that led to a run-out layup by Jimmer Fredette that gave New Orleans a 91-86 advantage. Manu Ginobili scored the next five points, however, and Danny Green blocked Tyreke Evans going to the hoop and was fouled on the rebound with 40.3 seconds to play. He hit 1-of-2 free throws to put San Antonio up 91-90. Davis then took matters into his own hands, going strong to the basket and converting a layup while being fouled with 36.7 seconds on the clock. He missed the free throw, however, and Tim Duncan found a cutting Ginobili on the ensuing possession for the go-ahead points. Evans then misfired on a 3- point try and Duncan came down with the rebound to seal the outcome. I just feel bad for our guys, said Pelicans head coach Monty Williams. To fight like we did on a back-to-back and have the game in your hands and losing it in regulation like that, then fighting like heck in overtime and not be able to pull it out. Davis had 21 points, 12 boards and four steals to pace the Pelicans. Ryan Anderson also recorded a double-double for New Orleans, amassing 18 points and 11 rebounds. Jrue Holiday posted 13 points and nine assists in the loss. The Pelicans beat the Rockets in Houston on Dec. 18 and have won two straight in this series. New Orleans has won four of its last six hosting Houston. Steve Cishek Cubs Jersey . Bowditch, the 30-year-old Australian seeking his first PGA Tour title, shot a 4-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC San Antonio. Matt Kuchar and Andrew Loupe were tied for second. Kuchar shot 65, and Loupe had a 70. Brandon Morrow Cubs Jersey . The Tinkoff-Saxo rider was still dealing with the right shin he broke in a crash which ended his Tour de France on Stage 10. He hoped to defy his doctors and race in the home Grand Tour he won in 2008 and 2012, but he says there have been complications in his recovery. http://www.cubsauthentic.com/cubs-brandon-kintzler-jersey/ . -- Derek Jeter says the New York Yankees have no choice but to move forward now that Alex Rodriguez has accepted his suspension for the 2014 season.CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Jose Bautista hit a long home run off Roberto Hernandez three batters into the game, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Wednesday in rain-shortened spring training opener for both teams. Bautistas home run landed outside of the ballpark at Bright House Field. The game was called in the middle of the seventh inning. "It felt pretty good, I cant deny that," Bautista said. "More importantly I felt like I was seeing the ball great. I havent been playing for a while so thats a positive." Bautista missed the last six weeks of the season with a hip injury, the second straight year in which he ended the season on the disabled list. He hit 28 home runs in 2013 after reaching 27 the year before. He was 1 for 2 with a walk and two runs scored Wednesday. Ryan Howard and Marlon Byrd each had run-scoring singles off former Phillies left-hander J.A. Happ in the bottom of the first. STARTING TIME Phillies: Hernandez, making his Phillies debut, allowed two runs on four hits in two innings. He is the front runner for the fifth starters job after signing a one-year, $4.5 million contract as a free agent this winter. "When I face him I try to throw changeups and sinkers down," Hernandez said of the home run to Bautista. "But today I got down in the count and had to throw it down the middle. I missed up." Blue Jays: Happ struggled in his only inning against his former team. Although he ended up striking out thhe side, he gave up four hits and a walk in facing eight batters. Jose Quintana Jersey. . Happ finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2009, when he went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA. Happ was 5-7 with a 4.56 ERA in 18 starts with the Blue Jays last season. TRAINERS ROOM Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels threw off the mound for the first time this spring. The 30-year-old Hamels entered camp behind the rest of the pitchers after experiencing biceps soreness in November. Hamels will throw another side session on Saturday and isnt likely to pitch in a Grapefruit League game for another two weeks. HOWARDS END Howard got off to a fast start, singling in a run in the bottom of first. The Phillies first baseman played only 80 games last year because of knee problems. Manager Ryne Sandberg is impressed with Howards progress. "I really like Howards aggressiveness early in the count with men on base," Sandberg said. KNUCKLED Cliff Lee will make his first start of the spring on Thursday, when the Phillies take on the Blue Jays for the second straight day, this time in Dunedin. But several Phillies regulars will not be in the lineup, including Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Toronto is starting knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey. But Sandberg says hes not sitting his regulars because of Dickeys unusual pitch. "I dont think that comes into play that much," Sandberg said. "If they keep it simple, it comes down to see the ball and hit it." ' ' '