Article: BLINDED BY RED GLARE NBA: LOOKING OUT OF RHYTHM AFTER ONE-WEEK LAYOFF, LAKERS GET STUNNED BY PHYSICAL HOUSTON SQUAD IN GAME 1 LOSS. ROCKETS 100, LAKERS 92.(Sports)

Byline: Elliott Teaford, Staff Writer

In the final analysis, the Lakers were both rested and rusted.

When they went back to work after a weeklong layoff Monday night, their first order of business was rediscovering their game. It was a difficult search right from the start. They lacked rhythm most of all.

The result was a dispiriting 100-92 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series at Staples Center. Their lack of fine-tuning was evident from the opening tip and they fell with a thud to the more polished Rockets.

"Well, that was no surprise to us, at least to me," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "But the ...

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