The boos come early

It was a game of firsts, some of them infinitely more surprising than others.

That the Lakers lost their first game of the season to the Houston Rockets, 95-93, wasn’t as startling as another event that took place Tuesday at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant was booed, loudly, on his home court during pregame introductions, perhaps only a one-game reminder from fans that he was their darling as recently as six months ago, but also possibly a harbinger of things to come if the losses begin to collect this season.

There were loud cheers when Derek Fisher was introduced after three years away from the Lakers, but the boos continued for Bryant when he touched the ball for the first time.

Undoubtedly, it surprised him, even if he kept it to himself. His pregame prediction on the fan reaction: “I don’t think it will be any different.”

Afterward, Bryant said he could comprehend their frustration.

“I understand where they’re coming from,” he said. “They didn’t really understand the whole situation because I’m keeping my mouth shut like I should.”

Coach Phil Jackson was caught off guard.

“I turned to one of my coaches and said, ‘Are those boos?’ And one of them said, ‘Yeah, those are boos,’ ” Jackson said. “I was surprised.”

They quickly turned to cheers when Bryant scored on a finger roll with 9:01 left in the first quarter. And again when he hit a 21-footer a little more than a minute later. And when he found Ronny Turiaf and Kwame Brown for easy dunks.

The first “M-V-P” chant of the regular season started a few minutes later, as Bryant was shooting free throws. Then came a “Ko-be, Ko-be” chant as he was shooting free throws in the fourth quarter, and again at the end of the game.

Bryant finished with 45 points on 13-for-32 shooting. He made 18 of 27 free throws and had four assists. His free-throw attempts were a career high, topping his old mark of 26, and his nine misses from the line tied a career high.

“He got tired out there,” Jackson said. “I had to talk to him a little bit about hitting the open guy and not crashing in there as often as he did. I thought there was a lot of times when his competitive zeal brought him in there hell or high water, and he didn’t get the call, and as a consequence there were some things that happened that turned into layups for them or easy run-outs for them.”

Nothing the Lakers did was enough to keep fans from streaming for the exits with 2:43 to play and the Rockets ahead, 86-78.

The Lakers made an energetic late run, bringing the remaining fans to their feet after Fisher’s long jumper from the baseline tied the score at 92 with 13.9 seconds left.

But Shane Battier hit a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left to reestablish Houston’s lead.

The Lakers made only 32 of 76 shots (42.1%) and hit an abysmal 27 of 45 free throws (60%).

Bryant took a page from the past when he showed up several hours before tip-off and shot around, something he hadn’t done in a couple of seasons after it was a game-day ritual earlier in his career.

He also had to get re-acclimated to his old position after Jackson made his first strategic switch of the season. Jackson moved Bryant from his push-the-pace facilitator role to his more comfortable spot on the wing, where he had dwelt the last several seasons.

Jackson informed Bryant of his decision earlier in the day, citing Bryant’s exorbitant turnover rate (11.2 per 48 minutes) while trying to fill the distributor role in exhibition play.

“I talked a little bit about the turnover factor, trying to eliminate the turnovers that have hurt us in training camp,” Jackson said. “He thought that wouldn’t be a problem, but I said, ‘Let’s give this a try and see if we can’t be more stable.’ ”

So Fisher was thrust into the facilitator role, which Bryant said was fine. Fisher had 17 points and two assists.

Said Bryant: “It’s just back in my comfort zone. I’m back in that striking position.”

He tried to strike but might have been slowed by his wrist, which he hurt last week after getting kicked by Utah center Mehmet Okur.

It didn’t help that the Lakers were without Lamar Odom, who could be out another two weeks. Their starting lineup against Houston: Bryant, Fisher, Turiaf, Brown and Luke Walton. It also didn’t help that they were practically giving away the game with their low shooting percentages and on-court gaffes.

In one slapstick scene, Walton and Brown fumbled a ball in front of the Houston basket that Walton inadvertently bounced into the hoop. Tracy McGrady was given two points as the Rockets’ bench erupted in laughter.

“I told the team I thought they saw the best and the worst of who we are,” Jackson said. “There were some real nice moments and there were just comedy-of-error moments out there in the third quarter.”

McGrady had 30 points and Yao Ming had 25 for Houston.

Now the Lakers are looking at a road game Friday at Phoenix, obviously not an easy way to end any losing streak, even if it’s only one game.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com