Lakers Rockets Basketball
Without their two best players — or at least two best players coming into the 2008-2009 NBA season — the Rockets were thought to be dead in their tracks facing a 2-1 defecit to the Lakers, having lost homecourt advantage just two nights before.

If today’s game was any indication, that isn’t the case. The Rockets pulled out the ol’ whipping stick and went to town on LA, led by Aaron Brooks’ 34 points. Shane Battier chipped in with 23 points, helping carry the load while Ron Artestk, coming off a game where he was ejected, struggled from the field, finishing with just 8 points on 4-19 shooting. Kobe Bryant finished with just 15 points, and, much like the rest of LA’s offense, was largely ineffective most of the game.

Game 5 will be in LA on Tuesday.