Lakers lead Golden State at halftime in Shanghai, 54-52

SHANGHAI, China -- It’s hard to compare arena noise without measuring decibel levels.

But the first half of the Lakers’ exhibition game Friday seemed quieter than Tuesday’s for one reason.

There wasn’t as much cheering for Kobe Bryant.

He wasn’t on the bench after going through a pre-game workout that included about 20 minutes of shooting. He is still not jumping, opting instead for a set-shot hybrid while going up on the tips of his toes.

Gratuitous scoreboard shots of him on the bench in Tuesday’s exhibition against Golden State led to loud cheers every time, even during play.

Less noise or not, the Lakers led the Warriors at halftime Friday, 54-52, in front of a sold-out crowd at Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Pau Gasol had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists in the first half. Nick Young had nine points and Chris Kaman had eight.

Coach Mike D’Antoni continued to shufflle the starting lineup, as is often the custom among NBA coaches this time of year.

Gasol, Young and Steve Nash started, and then it got interesting: Steve Blake and Shawne Williams.

Wesley Johnson (sore foot) and Jordan Farmar (strained calf) both played after sitting out Tuesday’s 100-95 loss to Golden State.

The Lakers are to return to Los Angeles immediately after the game. Their next exhibition is Tuesday against Utah at Staples Center.

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