Below is a running diary of the Lakers’ matchup against the Houston Rockets, with comments drawn from Mike Trudell’s @LakersReporter Twitter account, to ensure you’re covered from start to finish.
First Quarter
Make that 5 dimes for Kobe, who is feeding everybody. Bryant hit his first FGA of the night, as well, to put LAL up 23-20.
Kobe’s dropping dimes all over, his 7th assist in 10 minutes getting Randle (8 points) a dunk and putting LAL up 31-28 w/1:35 in the 1st.
LAL shot 74% (14 for 19) to take a 36-32 lead out of the 1st Q. Houston stuck around by turning it over only once and shooting 58%.
Second Quarter
LAL’s 2nd unit is getting outplayed by Houston’s to start the 2nd Q, with a Williams hoop around Howard stopping a 13-5 push. HOU up 2.
Williams gave Jet Terry a lil’ crossover, then was up high enough to cock the ball back before he dunked it. HOU up 49-45, 5:25 in half.
LAL trail 60-57 at half despite shooting 56.4% from the field, as Houston shot 51%, hit 2 more FT’s and had 2 fewer TO’s.
Third Quarter
Houston came out of the locker room on a 7-0 burst, capped by Harden’s triple (24 points) to open a 67-57 lead. Time out, LAL.
LAL are trying to hang around, as Hibbert’s dunk and Russell’s 3 cut Houston’s once 22-point lead to 15 late in the 3rd.
Big edge for Houston in the 3rd, their 34-18 margin opening a 94-75 lead heading into the 4th Q. Russell has 9 points off the pine.
Fourth Quarter
Randle in 27 minutes: 12 points, 11 boards, 2 dimes; Russell in 31 minutes: 12 points, 5 assists, 3 steals. Both were 5 for 10 on FG’s.
Final: Rockets 112, Lakers 95. Harden had 31 and Capela 14 and 11. Kobe had 9 assists in 24 minutes. Randle, Russell 12 points apiece.
