Halftime: Rockets 43, Lakers 40

Whoa, get out the body armor. This is going to be a rough and tumble series, if the first half is any indication. The Rockets don't have many other options but to muck things up and slow down the games if they hope to win. The first half certainly was played in a manner they would prefer. The Lakers never got into a rhythm and trailed by three at halftime. Kobe Bryant had eight points on 4-for-12 shooting for the Lakers. Ron Artest led Houston with 12 points. They were not matched against each other in the first half except for a couple of possession. Shane Battier drew the assignment of guarding Bryant. Battier also was bloodied when Sasha Vujacic got him over the left eye with an elbow or forearm while tapping a rebound out to Bryant on the perimeter in the closing seconds of the first quarter.