The drama is already unfolding, even with a full week still left before the season officially tips off. On Tuesday, the Rockets face the Pelicans for their third game, following wins over Atlanta and Utah. Houston’s offense has looked strong, putting up big numbers with or without Kevin Durant, who also eases the pressure on teammates like Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson. So far, the Rockets look like one of the NBA’s top teams. But fans got treated to something they weren’t expecting, at least in a preseason game: a full-on physical showdown.

In the preseason matchup between the Pelicans and Rockets, a heated confrontation broke out in the second quarter between Rockets forward Amen Thompson and Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado. The incident began as both players fought for a rebound, their arms tangled and bodies jostling for position. Thompson used his size to swing Alvarado to the floor, but Alvarado held on, pulling Thompson down with him. When they got back on their feet, Thompson shoved Alvarado and appeared to throw a punch, escalating the scuffle further.

Players and coaches from both teams quickly intervened, rushing in to separate the two before the situation could get worse. Alvarado was assessed a technical foul, while Thompson received a flagrant 1, though neither was ejected. At the time, the Rockets led 45-41. The altercation resulted in one free throw for the Rockets and two for the Pelicans. 

Fans witnessed a tense, physical moment that highlighted the intensity and competitive edge even in the preseason, with both players having to wait until December 18 for their next matchup in the regular season. But this wasn’t new. Both players have been involved in scuffles before, with Thompson more often than Jose.

Amen Thompson has a history of fiery on-court incidents. Back in February, during a game against the Bucks, his attempt to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo from an easy dunk turned aggressive. As Giannis spun and faked under the basket, Thompson went for the block but ended up grabbing Giannis around the head and neck, pulling him down. The foul was ruled flagrant 2, and Thompson was ejected, with even his coach agreeing the call was correct.

Also, back in 2024, during a close game against the Heat, he got tangled with Tyler Herro in the final minute while Miami tried to inbound the ball. Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and threw him to the floor, which triggered a scuffle that led to six ejections.

On the other hand, back in February last year, Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and Heat center Thomas Bryant were each suspended for three games for leaving the bench during an on-court fight. Alvarado wasn’t directly part of the initial altercation, which started when Pelicans forward Zion Williamson stole the ball from Butler and went for a layup, only to be stopped by Heat forward Kevin Love.

It will be interesting to see how the season shapes up for both players. Sports Illustrated has already ranked Amen Thompson as the league’s 48th best player, noting his growing confidence on offense. Over the past two seasons, Thompson has averaged 14.1 points on 55.7% shooting, pulled down 8.2 rebounds per game, and added 3.8 assists.

He’s been highly efficient, hitting 59.9% of his two-pointers, and also averaged two steals per game, earning a spot on the First-Team All-Defense along the way. With the Rockets’ recent win over the Pelicans, it will be exciting to watch Thompson’s continued progress this season.

Rockets edge Pelicans 130-128 in preseason thriller

The Rockets edged out the Pelicans 130-128 in a thrilling preseason showdown in Birmingham. Houston’s strong play from Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Tari Eason helped them build an early lead and maintain control for much of the game. Smith led the team with 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting, hitting four triples, grabbing five rebounds, and adding a steal and block each.

Kevin Durant’s presence made life easier for his teammates, letting Smith and others shine, while a 42-point third quarter gave Houston a comfortable buffer heading into the final period.

The Pelicans weren’t ready to roll over, though. Rookie Jeremiah Fears sparked a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of his 20 points in the final frame along with six rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

New Orleans pulled even with just 21 seconds remaining, but Houston’s Aaron Holiday delivered a clutch left-handed floater with 1.8 seconds left to seal the 130-128 victory. The Pelicans’ 40-point explosion in the fourth showed they can compete, even against one of the NBA’s top preseason teams.

Both squads were without key players due to injuries. The Rockets missed Fred VanVleet (ACL), Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle), and Jae’Sean Tate (ankle), while the Pelicans were without Derik Queen (wrist), Trey Murphy III (foot soreness), and Dejounte Murray (Achilles).

Even with those absences, Houston’s depth and experimentation with their double-big lineups paid off, while New Orleans displayed flashes of promise from their young roster.

The game left both teams with valuable lessons on offense, chemistry, and rotations heading into the regular season, with the Rockets now 3-0 and the Pelicans 0-1 in preseason play.