Led by 38 points and 8 assists from Chris Paul, the Rockets (34-13) put up a valiant comeback after going down 21 midway through the second half at New Orleans (27-21). But ultimately, the early deficit proved a bit too large to overcome as Houston's rally came up just short in a 115-113 loss on Friday night.In our postgame recap, we explore the defensive struggles that put Houston in such a big hole, starting with the role of Ryan Anderson (0 points in 14 minutes, -20 in plus/minus) and why his continued slump over the past 24 games may be putting his long-term role into question.Other topics include encouraging signs from Paul and Eric Gordon (27 points, 10-of-15 shooting) in the comeback, as well as thoughts on the season-ending Achilles injury to the Pelicans' DeMarcus Cousins (15 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) and its potential implications for Houston's playoff matchups down the road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices