At the end of the first half, the score was 55-51.
The Pacers were ahead by 4 points.
One small detail: as both teams headed back to the locker rooms, Kobe stayed on the court to practice his three-point jump shot for a few minutes. A Lakers staff member had to call him back to the locker room.
This worried Brian Shaw, who was serving as an analyst at the ESPN commentary desk.
Brian Shaw was a former Lakers player. He had won a three-peat with the Lakers and retired after losing to the San Antonio Spurs last season.
He was considered Kobe's best friend on the Lakers, and he had frequently returned to the team this season to mediate the relationship between Kobe and O'Neal.
