Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura are set to play for the Los Angeles Lakers in their Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets, according to an announcement from the team. Doncic has recovered from a lower left leg contusion that kept him out for two games, while Hachimura is available despite right groin soreness. Jaxson Hayes will miss the game due to left ankle soreness.
Doncic was previously listed as questionable but was expected to return. He is also anticipated to debut his new Jordan Brand shoes during the high-profile game at Crypto.com Arena.
The Rockets have been strong on offensive rebounds this season, presenting a challenge for the Lakers’ interior defense. While neither Hachimura nor Hayes are known primarily for rebounding, both are among the bigger players on the Lakers roster who could help counter Houston’s size advantage. With Hayes unavailable, Maxi Kleber is likely to take backup center minutes behind Deandre Ayton. Head coach JJ Redick may also opt for smaller lineups at times.
Both teams enter the contest following recent struggles; the Lakers have lost two consecutive games for the first time this season, while the Rockets have dropped four of their last five matchups. Despite these setbacks, both remain among the top teams in the Western Conference and feature several prominent players including LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Kevin Durant, and Alperen Sengun.
LeBron James recently addressed concerns about defensive consistency after a loss to the Suns: “It’s the same thing I’ve said before, it has to be five guys on a string,” James said. “And these guys also made a lot of midrange, contested twos too and those are part of our keys that we’re willing to give up. It’s the fastbreak points, it’s the second-chance points, it’s the open threes that we do not wanna give up.”
