Christmas Day Breakdown: How the Rockets Blasted Past Doncic and the Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers’ Christmas Day tradition turned into a holiday nightmare at Crypto.com Arena in 2025. In a highly anticipated matchup featuring the most prolific scoring duo in NBA history LeBron James and Kevin Durant it was the youth and athleticism of the Houston Rockets that stole the show. Led by a career high tying performance from Amen Thompson and the veteran poise of Durant, the Rockets secured a commanding 119-96 victory, handing the Lakers their third consecutive loss in front of a disappointed home crowd.
From the opening tip, Houston established a physical and disciplined tone that the Lakers struggled to match. The Rockets led wireto wire, an impressive feat considering the return of Luka Doncic to the Lakers' lineup. While the headlines focused on the legends, the story on the court was Houston’s efficiency and dominance on the glass, which left Los Angeles without answers for the duration of the 48 minute contest.
Amen Thompson and the Rockets’ Offensive Surge
Amen Thompson delivered arguably his most complete game of the season, finishing with 26 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. His ability to attack the rim and finish through contact kept the Lakers’ defense on its heels. Thompson’s performance put him in elite company; he became only the fourth player in Rockets history to record a 25/5/5 stat line on Christmas Day, joining legends Hakeem Olajuwon, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook.
Kevin Durant was equally effective as a primary playmaker and secondary scorer. Durant tallied 25 points and nine assists, masterfully dissecting the Lakers' defensive rotations. His synergy with Houston’s young core was evident throughout the first half, as both he and Thompson poured in 16 points apiece to give the Rockets a 63-53 lead at the break. Houston’s ball movement was infectious, resulting in six players scoring in double figures, including Jabari Smith Jr. (16 points) and Alperen Sengun (14 points).
Defensive Masterclass and Rebounding Dominance
The most glaring disparity in the game was on the backboards. Houston completely dominated the rebounding battle, outrebounding the Lakers 48-25. Alperen Sengun was the primary catalyst for this advantage, pulling down 12 rebounds as many as the entire Lakers starting lineup combined. This gap in physicality prevented Los Angeles from generating second-chance points and allowed Houston to dictate the tempo of the game.
Defensively, the Rockets made life difficult for Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Despite scoring 25 points, Doncic was plagued by turnovers, coughing up the ball four times in the first quarter alone. The Lakers' stars combined for nine of the team's 16 turnovers, as Houston’s Tari Eason and Amen Thompson utilized their length to disrupt passing lanes. The Rockets also capitalized on the Lakers’ poor shooting; Los Angeles went just 4-of-11 from three point range during critical stretches, failing to build any meaningful offensive rhythm.
Injury Woes for the Lakers
The Lakers’ evening went from bad to worse in the second half. Already trailing by double digits, Los Angeles lost starter Austin Reaves to a sore left calf. Reaves, who had provided a spark with 12 points in the first half, did not return after the intermission. His absence was felt immediately as the Rockets opened the third quarter with a devastating 18-5 run that pushed the lead to 23 points.
Rui Hachimura also struggled significantly, finishing the game with zero points in nearly 28 minutes of action. The lack of secondary scoring, combined with the injury to Reaves and the general lack of defensive discipline, left LeBron James (18 points) and Doncic to carry an unsustainable load.
The victory improves the Rockets to 18-10 and helps them find their footing on the road as they conclude a long trip. For Houston, this win is a statement that their young core, bolstered by the addition of Kevin Durant, is ready to compete with the heavyweights of the Western Conference. They return home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday with significant momentum.
For the Lakers, the loss drops them to 19-10 (or 25-27 depending on conference data) and highlights deep-seated issues with their depth and defensive consistency. With a tough matchup against the Sacramento Kings looming on Sunday, JJ Redick and his staff must find a way to stabilize the rotation and rediscover the effort that defined their early season success.