Lakers lead Suns at the half, 50-44
PRO BASKETBALL
Kobe Bryant has 12 points, and the Suns' Shaquille O'Neal has seven.
After the pre-game pleasantries, after Shaquille O'Neal hugged and tapped fists with Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum before the jump ball, the Lakers and Suns went about their business of trying to destroy each other.
This was a game between Pacific Division rivals, a game with many subplots involving Bryant, O'Neal and Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, a threesome that once won three consecutive NBA championships together earlier this decade in Los Angeles.
By the half Thursday night, the Lakers held a 50-44 lead over the Suns.
Bryant led the Lakers with 12 points, including a layup over O'Neal just before the second quarter ended.
O'Neal had seven points, but he was just three for eight from the field in the first half.
Bynum picked up three fouls in the first half, two consecutive against O'Neal in the second quarter.
That limited Bynum to 13 minutes, but he did have five rebounds and four points during that span.
Vladimir Radmanovic was hot for the Lakers in the first half, scoring nine points, all on three-pointers. He was three-for-three from three-point range.
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