Add basketball to the list of high contact sports as evidenced by a very testy, technical/ejection-plagued Game 2 of the Lakers-Rockets series.
L.A. got the win 111-98, moving the series to Houston for Game 3 Friday night.
Kobe Bryant scored 40 points to lead the Lakers and tie the series 1-1.
Tweeters agree, this is gonna be a slugfest:
GeekPicks What's up with the Lakers vs. Rockets game? The refs have taken over the 4th quarter. This has become an ugly game. Let them play!
beasy2487 Didn't think the Rockets-Lakers was gona be a good series but looks like it's gona be one for the ages... Sports=All the Reality TV I need.
Parker_Short I'm pretty sure someone is going to die during the course of the Rockets-Lakers series. They really hate each other.
noelperez @anniemamas Lakers thought this was gonna be easy ... big mistake ... Rockets came to play!!! so Lakers respond with dirty tactics ...
jwilphotos Lakers better eat their Wheaties...they gonna have to WORK to send the ROCKETS home.
JProepsilon @DavidSides Game 3 Lakers vs. Rockets. Artest's Revenge: Elbow's Galore
One tweeter captured this shot from the baseline:
(twitpic by @CURT_ABC7, Staples Center, Los Angeles, California)
Where are the boxing ropes for this Lakers-Rockets matchup!
Kobe vs. Artest. Whatcha twitcritics think?
Six8thaGreat Ron artest wud drop kobe on the first swing
bereolaesque Ok I'm awake - Ron Artest is trying to murk Kobe .... Dude is a livewire. We all remember his antics
BrianViloria Everyone's being ejected!! D. Fisher ejected! Now Ron Artest just got ejected...Anyone else? Anyone? You Mr. Nicholson?
justincpeters Artest is nuts! Elbows get thrown in Bball...like Ron's never thrown one!?
LaurenEngle I hate Kobe Bryant, I like how he gets away with punching Ron Artest in the throat! This game is getting insane...
rinabina87 Why is there so much fighting in this game? Luke & Lamar wanna jump Scola... Now Kobe & Ron Artest (Artest is a THUG... smh)
G2L2T Kobe Bryant with the cheap shot on Artest what a horrible sportsman he is.
NickyJay Kobe Bryant is a dirty, dirty player. He gets away with so much garbage. He should have been ejected for that elbow to Artest's face.
Derek Fisher is ejected for hit on the Rockets' Luis Scola. Phil Jackson doesn't agree with the call (not zen enough?). Quite the reaction from the Twittersphere!
bigpanda76 man! Derek Fisher KNOCKED that fool out! way to stand up for the team @derekfisher!
jonnieanne @BrennBangsDilla fish dropped that boy like he was Ricky Hatton...Derek "the Pacman" Fisher
TheFaildozer So Rondo can decapitate Brad Miller, but Derek Fisher can't shoulder check Luis Scola.
Hitmanumber47 Derek Fisher almost killed Luis Scola. He was ejected, but it was worth it.
pau_pow derek fisher is a punk. classy move there. LETS. GO. HOUSTON.
Apparently Ron Artest's game and hair-do are Twitterrific:
OneSeasonNBA Can someone put me in touch with Ron Artest's hair stylist?
Jay_Cruz I gotta admit..Ron Artest's Rocket Logo buzz cut is pretty fly..now as I'm sure Zen Master will say "cover that dude"..Bring it Lakers !
DJSupa yo houston can pull this one out...im glad ron artest is scoring better then he can rap...did yall remember his song.....exactly
Inkognegro and allow me to remind all of you that Mark Cuban Vetoed a trade that would send Ron Artest to Dallas for Josh Howard. No further comment
(Twitpic by @seancallanan)
