The Houston Rockets, led by Amen Thompson's 26 points and Kevin Durant's 25, decisively defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 117-96, extending the Lakers' losing streak to three games on their traditional Christmas night appearance.
The Houston Rockets delivered a commanding performance, never trailing as they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 117-96 on Thursday night. Amen Thompson spearheaded the Rockets' attack with 26 points, along with seven rebounds and five assists, leading six Houston players in double figures. Kevin Durant also shined with 25 points and nine assists, helping the Rockets snap a two-game skid while improving to 7-7 on the road. For the Lakers, Luka Doncic, returning from injury, scored 25 points, and LeBron James added 18. However, the Lakers struggled, with Doncic and James combining for only 4 of 11 from beyond the arc and nine of the team's 16 turnovers. The loss dropped the Lakers to 25-27 and marked their third consecutive defeat, occurring on their 27th consecutive Christmas Day appearance. Houston's dominance extended to the boards, outrebounding the Lakers 48-25, with Alperen Sengun grabbing 12 rebounds. The Rockets established an early lead, up by 14 points in the first quarter and 63-53 at halftime, before an 18-5 run in the third quarter pushed their lead to 23 points. The Lakers also lost Austin Reaves to a sore left calf after he scored 12 points, and got no points from starter Rui Hachimura.
