Los Angeles ? Blood flowed, players were sprawled on the court, and the Houston Rockets came into Staples Center and outmuscled Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Yao Ming, who briefly left due to a knee injury in the closing minutes, had 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Rockets to a physical 100-92 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Ron Artest added 21 points, and Aaron Brooks had 19 for the Rockets.

Bryant, who finished a distant second to LeBron James in NBA MVP voting announced earlier Monday, scored 32 points, doing his best to keep the Lakers in the game despite missing practice Sunday because of a sore throat. He scored 22 of the Lakers’ final 42 points.

Houston forward Shane Battier needed four stitches to close a gash over his left eye late in the first quarter.

Although the Rockets took the brunt of the hits, Yao was too much for the Lakers. The Rockets were much livelier on offense and wrested away homecourt advantage from the top-seeded Lakers.

Game 2 is Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Bryant drove on Yao in the key, and the two collided, with Yao falling to the court. Los Angeles’ Pau Gasol picked up the ball for a slam dunk that pulled the Lakers to 85-79 with 4:54 left.