HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Rockets somehow found a way to make Shaquille O’Neal a non-factor for half of the game, and a pair of late acrobatic baskets by Steve Francis clinched things after O’Neal finally got aggressive again.

The Rockets defeated the Lakers 102-91 Friday night, cutting Los Angeles’ lead to 2-1 in their best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series.

It was a rare Game 3 loss on the road for a team coached by Phil Jackson with a 2-0 series lead. His teams, when given a chance to take an all-but-insurmountable 3-0 lead, have historically gotten it.

In this case, however, the Lakers got away from what was working early, and by the time they went back to an O’Neal-dominated offense in the final 12 minutes it was too late. Francis had 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Cuttino Mobley added 21 points, Yao Ming scored 18 and Maurice Taylor came off the bench to add 16 as the Rockets thrilled their fans in the first playoff game in Houston since 1999.

The series resumes with Game 4 Sunday.

AP-ES-04-24-04 0022EDT