Lakers rout Rockets to take 3-2 series lead

Kobe Bryant scored 26 points as the Los Angeles Lakers rebounded from a game four drubbing to roll to a 118-78 win over Houston in crucial game five of their second round NBA playoff series.

"We've got to stay focused and understand that the effort we gave tonight is not going to be enough on Thursday. It's just not," Bryant said.

"We're not playing some chump team. I don't care how many people they have out. This is a tough team, it's a tough team full of competitors."

Pau Gasol had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers who made a huge statement with their dominating win over the Yao Ming-less Rockets.

The Rockets, who posted a 99-87 win on Sunday over Los Angeles, are without injured Chinese centre Yao for the rest of the playoffs.

The Lakers can wrap up the series Thursday in Houston.

"We want to give ourselves a great opportunity to win game six," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We know that to win on road in the playoffs is a tall order."

Bryant, who was held to just 15 points Sunday, rested in the fourth quarter on Tuesday.

"We played just the opposite we did the last game," Houston coach Rick Adelman said. "We turned it over in the first half, shot it poorly. We said if we turn it over against this team we're going to be in big trouble. That's exactly what we did.

"It just kind of fed their energy level. The second and third quarters are about as bad as we've played in a long time."

Andrew Bynum had 14 points, and Lamar Odom played despite a back injury and had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench for the Lakers, who grabbed the 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Aaron Brooks scored 14 for the Rockets, who tied their worst playoff loss in franchise history.

Shane Battier, who scored a career-best 23 points Sunday, scored just five points yesterday.

Luis Scola had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who also suffered a 40-point playoff loss to Dallas four years ago.

The Lakers led by 11 points after the first quarter and a whopping 64-39 at the half. The Rockets shot just 32.6 percent from the field.