EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — In a league where being tall is allegedly the main prerequisite, the undersized Rockets were all about "small ball" after surprising the Lakers with a relatively easy 112-97 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

The Rockets' speed was undeniable as they flew up and down the court against a well-rested Lakers team that had only played one game in its previous 11 days. The Rockets don’t use anybody taller than 6-foot-7 but beat the Lakers in almost every meaningful category.

As point guard Russell Westbrook said, “We’re small out there so we’ve got to play scrappy.”

The Lakers must adjust to the Rockets’ speed Sunday in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series. They were a step slow on defense in Game 1 and struggled on offense to solve Houston’s active defenders, who switched assignments seamlessly in the fourth quarter while holding the Lakers to only 18 points.

Perhaps James Harden said it best after scoring 36 points: “It doesn’t matter how tall you are.”

Anthony Davis (25 points) and LeBron James (20 points) were fairly successful against the Rockets, with but few other Lakers took advantage of the size advantage. It’s safe to say the Lakers need a big game from their centers Sunday.

Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee combined for only five points in 24 minutes of Game 1. Neither were effective on the boards as the Rockets somehow tied the Lakers in rebounds at 41.

Harden guarded McGee, giving up seven inches in height, yet McGee didn’t make Harden pay on the defensive end.

If the Lakers’ big men don’t adjust in Game 2 and exploit these height mismatches, coach Frank Vogel could sit them and go small most of the game with Davis or Kyle Kuzma at center.

Kuzma has done a lot of good things for the Lakers in his three short years in the league, most recently playing solid defense in the first round against Portland. That evaporated in Game 1 against Houston, when Kuzma was a team-low, minus-21 in the plus-minus category. He also didn’t shoot well, making only three of nine attempts.

If you take a deeper look at his recent offense, Kuzma has failed to score more than eight points in four of his last five games.

Eric Gordon scored 23 points for Houston in Game 1, giving them an effective third scorer behind Westbrook and Harden. The Lakers could use that from Kuzma in Game 2 to support James and Davis.