The Los Angeles Lakers got out to a slow start at the Pepsi Center, allowing the Denver Nuggets to take a sizable lead into halftime. The Lakers trail 55-39 at the half, but that's after cutting a 24 point lead to as little as eleven before allowing Denver to tack on five more points to the margin before the half.
Andrew Bynum has had an especially slow start with no points on three shots, five rebounds, and a block after two fantastic games in Los Angeles. The Lakers expected Denver to come out with an intensity down 2-0 and at home for the first time in the series, but the Lakers simply failed to match it.
Not that Denver shot particularly well, only shooting 41% to the Lakers 39% in the first half. Still, occasionally quantity can be overwhelming than quantity. Ty Lawson led all scorers with 18 points, but Kobe Bryant was right behind him with 16. Bryant simply doesn't have the supporting case Lawson is working with thus far in the game. Rookie Kenneth Faried has more points than Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol combined. Of course, Bynum contributes nothing in that equation.
Still, the first road game is always the hardest, and any game in Denver whether indoors or not will always have the altitude as a factor. The Lakers will have to come out with their own intensity in the second half, or risk letting Denver back into this series.
For more on this game, check out Silver Screen and Roll.