It’s halftime at Staples.

Kobe Bryant is 0-for-4 from the field and as many fouls (three) as points.

But the Lakers lead 58-40.

Say what?

That might have seemed impossible, if we just hadn’t witnessed it. Up 18 on Boston with Kobe doing little more than running as a decoy.

But Lamar Odom has introduced himself to the series, making all seven of his first-half shots while scoring 15 points and taking eight rebounds. And Pau Gasol is demonstrating that he might be, after all, something approaching an elite-level player, scoring 10 points and getting six rebounds.

The Lakers led by 24 after a quarter, an NBA Finals record. The Celtics went on a 12-0 run to cut it to 12 at 45-33, but Gasol scored five points in the final minutes of the half, and Jordan Farmar banked in a buzzer-beating runner from just outside the three-point line to get it back to 18.

With Kobe not having contributed a single field goal. Amazing concept.

It’s not over, but if the Lakers play anything remotely resembling an intelligent second half, and Kobe makes a field goal or seven, they should be OK.