It would have been the best 19th birthday celebration ever if the 29-foot shot as time expired had swished through the nets.

Instead, Jeremiah Fears’ shot clanged off the back of the rim, one of the few things that didn’t go his way in Tuesday night’s 130-128 preseason loss to the Houston Rockets.

But for the Pelicans’ rookie guard, it was another leap in the right direction.

Just three preseason games in, Fears is showing just how quickly he is growing. His numbers have steadily improved from his first two games in Australia to Tuesday’s game in Birmingham, Alabama against the Rockets.

In his first game two weeks ago against Melbourne United, Fears shot a dismal 3-of-15 from the floor (0-for-6 on 3-pointers) and finished with seven points. In the second game against South East Melbour

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