Lakers roll past rockets to take lead

In the NBA playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in game 3 to take a 2-games-to-1 lead in their second round Western Conference series.

KobeBryant(right)andSashaVujacicoftheLos
AngelesLakerscelebrateathree-pointshotatthe
endofthe3rdquarteragainsttheHoustonRockets
inGameThreeoftheWesternConferenceSemifinals
duringthe2009NBAPlayoffsatToyotaCenter,in
Houston,Texas.TheLakerswon108-94totakea2-1
serieslead.(AFP/GettyImages/RonaldMartinez)

Early in the first quarter, Kobe Bryant knocked down this jumper, putting Lakers ahead by 7.Lakers 11-4. In the second quarter, less than two minutes to go off, Yao Ming drew a right hand hook to tie the game. Rockets 26-26 Lakers.

Seconds before halftime, Yao tipped in a missed three pointer by Aaron Brooks, keeping Rockets in contention, Lakers 50-48 Rockets at half time. 3 seconds to go, Bryant nailed a long-range three pointer at the buzzer, up by 12, Lakers 74-62.

With 1 minute 30 seconds before end, Bryant beautiful drive-in, his lay-up missed, Lamar Odom dunked the rebound decisive score in the fourth quarter. Final Score: 108-94

Bryant absent from practice prior to Lakers vs. Rockets series

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Kobe Bryant stayed away from practice with a sore throat on Sunday, but set to be ready for their NBA playoff series opener against Houston on Monday.

LosAngelesLakers'KobeBryant,right,greetsmusicianSean
'Diddy'CombsbeforeGame5ofanNBAbasketballfirst-round
playoffseriesbetweentheLakersandtheUtahJazzinLos
Angeles,Monday,April27,2009.TheLakerswon107-96.
(APPhoto/ChrisCarlson)

The Lakers host the Rockets in game one of the Western Conference semi-final series.

"We know when it's game time he's going to come out and be ready to play no matter what's going on," Shannon Brown said. "It's definitely going to take more than a sore throat.

"He's got to be missing some limbs for him not to come out there and be ready to play the game."

The Lakers have had a week off since eliminating Utah in five games in the first round, while the Rockets defeated Portland in six games to reach the second round for the first time since 1997.

Los Angeles won all four regular-season games against the Rockets, with Bryant averaging 28.3 points.

Rockets coach Rick Adelman said it might not be possible to contain Bryant, but that Houston has to at least make him work for his points.

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