Halftime: Rockets 51, Lakers 40

HOUSTON -- Josh Powell started in place of Lamar Odom, who served his one-game suspension tonight for leaving the bench area to join in Monday's scuffle with the Portland Trail Blazers. The surprise was that Trevor Ariza replaced Luke Walton for the Lakers' game against the Houston Rockets. The Lakers started out fine, but watched the Rockets take the lead with a 15-2 run over the middle of the second quarter. Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 10 points. Ariza, Powell, Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher had six apiece. Yao Ming led the Rockets with 12 points, and Luis Scola added 10.