What was supposed to be a marquee Christmas matchup turned lopsided early and never truly recovered. The Houston Rockets controlled the game from the opening tip, racing out to an early double-digit lead and cruising to a 119-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, who struggled to match Houston’s physicality, pace, and depth on both ends of the floor.
Despite solid scoring nights from Luka Doncic (25 points) and LeBron James (18 points), the Lakers were undone by turnovers, rebounding issues, and long stretches of stagnant offense. Houston placed six players in double figures, dominated the glass by a staggering margin, and opened the second half with a decisive run that effectively ended the contest before the fourth quarter arrived.
After an ugly performance, let’s rate every Laker who hit the floor because this was a night they would like to forget and not look back on.
Luka Doncic: B
Game Stats: 25 PTS, 5 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 6 TOV, 9-17 FG, 3-8 3PT, 4-7 FT, 34 MIN
Doncic produced efficiently as a scorer and showed flashes of control returning from his leg injury, but his overall impact was muted by turnovers and defensive breakdowns. He was responsible for six of the Lakers’ 16 giveaways and struggled to slow Houston’s guards in transition, particularly during the third-quarter run.
Offensively, Luka carried the load when the Lakers needed shot creation, accounting for over a quarter of the team’s total points. However, his minus-25 plus/minus tells the story of how difficult it was for Los Angeles to survive Houston’s pressure when he was on the floor.
LeBron James: B
Game Stats: 18 PTS, 2 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TOV, 7-13 FG, 1-3 3PT, 3-4 FT, 32 MIN
James was efficient with his shot selection, but never imposed himself on the game the way the Lakers needed. He scored just eight points in the first half and struggled to impact the glass or control tempo as Houston repeatedly beat Los Angeles to loose balls and rebounds.
Defensively, LeBron showed effort but couldn’t stem the tide as Houston piled up points in the paint. His minus-33 plus/minus was the worst of any Laker, reflecting how badly the Rockets overwhelmed the Lakers during his minutes.
Jarred Vanderbilt: B
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 4-6 FG, 3-4 3PT, 26 MIN
Vanderbilt was one of the few bright spots for Los Angeles. He played with energy, rebounded well, and surprisingly knocked down three three-pointers, spacing the floor more effectively than expected.
Defensively, he brought physicality and effort, finishing with a team-best plus-5. While he couldn’t swing the game on his own, his performance stood out in an otherwise rough night.
Austin Reaves: C
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 5-8 FG, 2-5 3PT, 15 MIN
Austin Reaves provided a brief offensive spark, knocking down a pair of threes and finishing efficiently around the rim. Unfortunately, his limited minutes and defensive struggles prevented him from changing the flow of the game.
Houston consistently targeted Reaves in switches, and his minus-7 in just 15 minutes reflected how quickly the Rockets exploited those matchups. While his shooting was solid, the overall impact wasn’t enough.
Jake LaRavia: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 2-5 FG, 1-1 3PT, 23 MIN
LaRavia gave the Lakers solid bench minutes, contributing on the glass and spacing the floor when needed. He didn’t make major mistakes and held his own defensively.
However, his role was limited, and his impact was more stabilizing than game-changing in a matchup where the Lakers needed momentum swings.
Deandre Ayton: C-
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 2 REB, 1 TOV, 5-6 FG, 36 MIN
Deandre Ayton’s stat line was quiet considering his minutes and matchup. He finished efficiently as a scorer but was completely overwhelmed on the glass, grabbing just two rebounds while Houston dominated inside.
Alperen Sengun alone pulled down 12 rebounds, matching the Lakers’ entire starting lineup at times. Ayton’s inability to control the paint was a major reason Los Angeles fell behind early and never recovered.
Marcus Smart: C-
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 3-8 FG, 0-3 3PT, 29 MIN
Smart competed defensively but struggled to provide consistent offense. His outside shot wasn’t falling, and Houston largely ignored him on the perimeter, shrinking the floor for Doncic and James.
While his leadership and toughness were evident, the production didn’t match the workload, and the Rockets repeatedly punished the Lakers during extended guard rotations.
Rui Hachimura: D
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 0-6 FG, 0-3 3PT, 28 MIN
Hachimura had a night to forget. He failed to score despite six shot attempts and struggled defensively against Houston’s wings, particularly Amen Thompson and Tari Eason.
His minus-29 plus/minus was one of the worst on the roster, and the Lakers simply couldn’t afford that level of production from a starting forward in a nationally televised game.
Maxi Kleber: N/A
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 1-4 FG, 0-2 3PT, 6 MIN
Kleber’s brief stint didn’t provide much resistance defensively or spacing offensively. Houston quickly took advantage of small-ball lineups, and Kleber couldn’t anchor the paint.
Dalton Knecht: N/A
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 0 REB, 1-1 FG, 3 MIN
Limited minutes, minimal impact. Knecht knocked down a shot, but wasn’t on the floor long enough to influence the game.
Adou Thiero: N/A
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 2 REB, 1-2 FG, 3 MIN
Thiero showed activity in his brief appearance but, like Knecht, didn’t log enough time to factor into the outcome.
Bronny James: N/A
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1-1 FG, 1-1 3PT, 3 MIN
Bronny made the most of his short run, hitting a three and playing under control. Still, his minutes came after the game was already decided.
