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Houston faces conference rival New Orleans

By The Associated Press

New Orleans Pelicans (22-45, 12th in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (40-25, third in the Western Conference)

Houston; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The New Orleans Pelicans take on Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets in Western Conference action Friday.

The Rockets are 6-6 against the rest of their division. Houston ranks third in the Western Conference with 52.4 points per game in the paint led by Alperen Sengun averaging 13.7.

The Pelicans are 6-7 against the rest of the division. New Orleans is eighth in the Western Conference scoring 115.6 points per game and is shooting 46.5%.

The Rockets average 114.2 points per game, 5.8 fewer points than the 120.0 the Pelicans allow. The Pelicans are shooting 46.5% from the field, 0.6% higher than the 45.9% the Rockets’ opponents have shot this season.

The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Rockets defeated the Pelicans 119-110 in their last meeting on Jan. 19. Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 32 points, and Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 21 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is shooting 51.4% and averaging 25.9 points for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 3.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Murphy is averaging 22.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 20.7 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 6-4, averaging 113.9 points, 47.0 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.0 points per game.

Pelicans: 7-3, averaging 121.0 points, 46.9 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.9 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.

INJURIES: Rockets: Jae’Sean Tate: out (knee), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Dorian Finney-Smith: out (ankle).

Pelicans: Bryce McGowens: out (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

By WTOP Staff
▶ Watch Video: Inside look at security preparations for World Cup Forty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.The rescue operations were carried out between June 11 and July 19 by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals."The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners," said Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit.Those rescued, largely the victims of sex trafficking, are now being supported with an array of social services for the victims, including food, housing and counseling.The 87 operations carried out during the World Cup have generated new leads, officials said, and law enforcement agencies are building more cases based on the investigations already underway."We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations," an NYPD official told CBS News.Major sporting events are known to law enforcement as hotbeds of human trafficking.Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the World Cup. Eight matches were played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, including the final on Sunday."When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry," Marcus said. "Whether they're on parole or probation for human trafficking, we visited them to make sure they're compliant with the terms of their release, and secondly, to let them know that the NYPD is watching."The matches were held in multiple cities around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Preparations to secure those games and prepare for crimes like human trafficking were coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.Police departments in many locations that hosted World Cup matches have made arrests and rescues connected to human trafficking, including in Georgia, New England and Missouri. Nationally, there were more than 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges made during the World Cup, and 61 adults and 13 minors rescued, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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