HOUSTON -- This was another opportunity for the Houston Rockets to declare themselves fixed, to showcase the results from when they defend with vigor and attentiveness and rely upon the depth some claimed superior.

Guard James Harden posted a double-double, and three different Houston reserves scored in double figures in the same game for the first time this season as the Rockets clawed out a 108-101 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.

Harden finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds while adding six assists. He again struggled with his shot and didn't hit his first 3-pointer until the 3:13 mark of the fourth quarter, a critical basket that came after five misses from deep and pushed Houston (8-11) to a 99-92 lead.

But even with forward Terrence Jones (15 points), swingman Corey Brewer (14) and guard Ty Lawson (12 points and six assists) delivering off the Houston bench, what the Rockets mustered defensively proved equally vital. Houston forced the Pelicans (4-15), third best in the NBA in turnover percentage, into 23 turnovers, scoring 27 points off of them.

"That's the only way we're going to have a chance to win is playing defense," Harden said. "Tonight we were active. We helped each other out and we stopped the ball."

Forward Trevor Ariza added 13 points while guard Patrick Beverley had 10 for Houston. Both recorded a pair of steals while Brewer nabbed three. And though the Rockets were hammered on the boards 56-42, center Dwight Howard grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked three shots.

A 16-5 run midway through the third quarter allowed the Rockets to wrestle some semblance of control, with guard Marcus Thornton converting a baseline drive into an 84-75 lead at the 1:14 mark.

And after reserve guard Toney Douglas delivered New Orleans its final lead of the night at 87-86 with a 3-pointer at the 8:56 mark of the fourth, Harden scored on a step-back jumper from the post and converted a three-point play before Ariza sank a 3-pointer. When Beverley added a transition layup off a turnover, the lead was 96-87.

"We are not a high turnover team and we ended up turning the ball over (a season-high) 23 times," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. "When you do that against a team on the road, your chances of winning are not very good."

Pelicans forward Anthony Davis paired a game-high 29 points with 13 rebounds, two blocks and two steals, while forward Ryan Anderson added 19 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. But the Pelicans' starting backcourt of Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon shot a combined 6-for-19 while reserve guard Norris Cole finished 2-for-10. New Orleans shot just 40.9 percent (36 of 88) after making 12 of 23 shots in the first.

"We did a terrible job of doing the little things -- free throws, rebounding, and they were even getting steals off our inbounds pass," Davis said. "We just can't let that happen."

The Rockets' offensive misery was on full display in the first quarter, even against a Pelicans team ranked dead last in the NBA in defensive rating. Houston missed nine of its first 10 shots, enabling the Pelicans to dart to a 13-4 lead. New Orleans closed the period with a 12-point edge, limiting Houston to its season-low for the first quarter with 17 points.

Houston relied upon depth to forge a comeback, with six players scoring during an 18-3 blitz that erased the Pelicans' 36-22 lead. The Rockets grabbed their first lead at 40-39 when Ariza completed a three-point play with 4:18 left in the half, and that balanced attack served them well until Harden produced his late burst to carry them home.

"We've been waiting on Brew to have a Brew night, and tonight he had one of those nights," Rockets coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "Ty came in and was really, really good. Terrence Jones was really good early. Marcus was 3-for-5 and hit some shots. This group, the pieces are there, the talent is there."

NOTES: Rockets F/C Donatas Motiejunas was cleared to return to practice this week, a significant step forward after back surgery late last season. Motiejunas missed the final 11 regular-season games and the postseason and has yet to suit up for the Rockets this season. ... Pelicans G Jrue Holiday (rest) was a healthy scratch after logging 26 minutes in a loss to the Grizzlies on Monday night. Holiday has been under a minutes restriction following an injury-marred 2014-15 season and had played in six consecutive games before Tuesday, averaging 20.9 minutes during that stretch. ... Rockets coach J.B. Bickerstaff pledged to lessen the workload on G James Harden, who was averaging a career-high 39.7 minutes per game this season. Harden led the NBA in minutes last season (2,981) and finished second to Bulls G Jimmy Butler in minutes per game (36.8).