Herb Jones accomplished a franchise feat Chris Paul last pulled off in the New Orleans Pelicans' matchup against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.
Jones is going through the fifth season of his NBA career, all with the Pelicans. He's developed into a solid two-way player for the team, especially on the defensive side of the ball as one of their best defenders.
His ability to make steals at a high level got to shine in the spotlight during New Orleans' contest against Houston. In 38 minutes of action, he finished with a stat line of 18 points, eight steals, three rebounds, three assists, and a block. He shot 7-of-14 from the field, including 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Jones' efforts ended up making franchise history, per StatMuse. He became the second New Orleans player to have eight or more steals in a game, joining Paul in the process.
Herb Jones vs Houston:
8 STL (!!!)
18 PTS
+20
The first player in franchise history since Chris Paul with 8+ steals in a game. pic.twitter.com/2HfCA3FbiQ
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 19, 2025
How Herb Jones, Pelicans played against Rockets
New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) dribbles against Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie (20) during the first half at Smoothie King Center.
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Article Continues Below
Herb Jones and the Pelicans finally had something go their way, stunning the Rockets in a 133-128 victory at home.
Houston had a massive advantage for most of the game, leading by as many as 25 points. New Orleans refused to back down as the team outscored the Rockets 74-52 in the last 24 minutes of regulation. The Pelicans kept the momentum rolling in the overtime period, winning that frame 14-9.
Free throws and turnovers made the difference in this matchup. The Pelicans prevailed in both categories by making 24 free throws while limiting their turnovers to just 12. It wasn't the same for the Rockets as they converted 18 shots at the line and turned the ball over 20 times.
Five players scored in double-digits for New Orleans in the win, including Jones. Saddiq Bey led the way with 29 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and an assist. He shot 11-of-18 overall, including 3-of-5 from downtown, and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. Trey Murphy III came next with 27 points and three rebounds, Derik Queen had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Jordan Poole provided 15 points and three steals.
New Orleans improved to a 6-22 record but remain at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. They are behind the Los Angeles Clippers by 0.5 games and Sacramento Kings by one game.
Rolling with three straight wins, the Pelicans will look forward to their next matchup. They remain at home when they host the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. ET.