Well in your heart of hearts tonight, you knew the Rockets were drawing dead. No way they win game 2 in the Staples Center and risk a sweep of the NBA golden goose Los Angeles Lakers. Then you saw Joey Crawford's name in the paper and you knew what was in store. Yao Ming would get 3 fouls less than halfway through the game. His counterpart, paper mache Pau Gasol wouldn't be called for his first foul until six minutes left in the 4th quarter. Ron Artest, for good measure, gets thrown out after bludgeoning Kobe Bryant's elbow with his larynx, violent m'fer that he is.
Still, the Rockets had their chance in the third quarter taking a lead early on with a chance to exploit the absence of Derek Fisher after he cheap shotted Luis Scola for having the audacity of setting a screen on a pick an roll of all things.
Your player of the game is Ron Artest given his ability to keep the Rockets in the ballgame. Carl Landry came to ball which was a good thing considering Yao Ming was able to mount a 4 field goal offensive performance. Landry ended the game with 21 points and a couple stiff elbows against public homo number 1 Sasha Vujacic. Gimmee the Taliban over Sasha if I'm able to have my druthers.
Disappointments of the game have to be Aaron Brooks and Carl Lowry. These two combined to go 5-22 for 13 points despite the fact that Derek Fisher had himself ejected for being an uber-goon. If the Rockets want to win, they have to exploit their advantage in the backcourt.
Hopefully the Rockets can pull it together in game 3.