Off-season signing moves on from talk to action on the court.
Dwight Howard scored 19 points and pulled in nine rebounds in his first game in a Houston Rockets jersey but he as not able to help his new side from losing 116-1115 to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Howard, who completed a four-year $88 million deal from the Los Angeles Lakers this off-season, looked comfortable in his 27 minutes of action.
The centre made 6-11 from the field and shot 7-11 from the free-throw line while James Harden scored 21 points for the Rockets in 28 minutes. Omri Casspi added 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting.
Terrence Jones had 13, and Patrick Beverley 12. Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons each had 11 points.
Top scorer for the Pelicans was Anthony Morrow, who also netted himself a game-high 26 points to go with five rebounds.
New Orleans were given a scare when new guard Tyreke Evans was sent for X-rays on his left ankle after appearing to roll it after taking a jump-shot.
Evans left the game in the third quarter and did not return, however, the results of the scan were negative for any form of break.
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