New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones became the first player in the NBA to record eight steals this season during a 133-125 overtime victory against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.
“Give Herb a ton of credit,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said. “He was a major part of turning that game, but that’s who he is.”
A former Hale County High School and Alabama standout, Jones had three steals in the fourth quarter and another in overtime before fouling out with 20 seconds to play as the Pelicans posted the biggest second-half comeback in team history. New Orleans trailed by 25 points in the third quarter, but the Pelicans outscored the Rockets 50-29 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“He turned the whole game,” Borrego said. “I think he had eight steals. I don’t know how many were in the second half, but he turned the game with his physicality and aggression and energy, and he was phenomenal tonight. He was phenomenal. I mean, we don’t even come close to turning that game without him. …
“Just really proud of this group to keep fighting, and it started with Herb Jones.”
Jones’ overtime steal turned into an assist on a dunk by center Derik Queen as the Pelicans took a 127-123 lead with 58 seconds remaining.
Jones’ three fourth-quarter steals came in a 2:25 span as New Orleans reduced Houston’s lead from 15 points to six.
“He’s first-team All-Defense,” said Saddiq Bey, who led the Pelicans with 29 points, including the deciding two free throws with two seconds to play. “Just being on the court with him -- you know, I played against him or I watched him, obviously, I see he’s a good defender. But being on the court with him, he has just a knack for just being there defensively. So I think, even though he fouled out, he won us that game, for real, like, defensively getting those stops, man.”
Jones was an NBA first-team All-Defense selection for the 2023-24 season. Last season, Jones missed 62 games, mainly because of a shoulder injury that sidelined him after Jan. 8.
Jones played in his fourth game on Thursday night after missing eight games because of a calf injury. The Pelicans won only one of the games that Jones missed. But after winning three of its first 25 games, New Orleans won its third game in a row by beating Houston.
Jones came up one short of the franchise single-game steals record set by Chris Paul on Feb. 20, 2008, in a 104-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
“I approached the game the same way as every game,” Jones said. “Today, I just found my way to get eight steals. I’m always playing hard. Should have came up with eight steals. I don’t really got -- you know, there’s no secret sauce to it.”
Jones also scored a season-high 18 points against the Rockets.
“I mean, I put the work in,” Jones said. “I know I put the work in. You know, I just got to come out here and trust it.”
The Pelicans return to the court against the Indiana Pacers at 6 p.m. CST Saturday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.