Stars will be out in force when Lakers, Rockets meet
Two teams looking for a return to form meet when the Los Angeles Lakers face the visiting Houston Rockets in a Christmas Day matchup Thursday.
Both teams still are in the top half of the Western Conference standings, but their recent play has been underwhelming at times. Houston has lost four of its last five games, while Los Angeles has dropped three of its last five.
Los Angeles lost consecutive games for the first time with Tuesday's 132-108 road defeat to the Phoenix Suns. Lakers star Luka Doncic left early from a loss Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers with a lower leg contusion and did not play against the Suns on Tuesday.
ESPN reported Wednesday that Doncic will play against the Rockets.
LeBron James had 23 points at Phoenix to lead Los Angeles, while Austin Reaves returned after missing three games with a left calf strain and scored 17.
Lakers coach JJ Redick questioned his team's defensive effort after allowing Phoenix to shoot 58.8% from the field. The Suns scored 45 points in the third quarter and took a 112-86 lead into the final period.
"There are shortcuts you can take, or you can do the hard thing and you can make the second effort," Redick said. "Or you can sprint back or you can't. It's just a choice. And there's a million choices in a game, and you're very likely not gonna make every choice correctly. But can you make the vast majority of 'em correctly? It gives you a chance to win."
Los Angeles received a spark from center Deandre Ayton, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds following a two-game absence. However, Ayton's presence wasn't enough to keep his former team from scoring 62 points in the paint.
"We just lack physicality a little bit, effort," Lakers forward Jake LaRavia said. "I don't know how many points they got off second-chance (21), but they were getting a lot of extra possessions. We just gotta be better. That's all it is. Regroup and get ready for the next game."
James enters the contest as the NBA's career-leader in Christmas games played (19) and points scored on the holiday (507). Houston star Kevin Durant is fourth all-time in points scored on Christmas with 342.
Houston is wrapping up a six-game road trip after allowing the Clippers to shoot 54% (20 for 37) from 3-point range in Tuesday's loss.
Durant scored 22 points to lead the Rockets, while Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Both players rested for the entire fourth quarter.
Houston's last three losses have come to teams at the bottom of the Western Conference standings in the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and the Clippers, but Durant isn't overreacting to his team's slump.
"When you've got expectations on you as a team and you've got the microscope on you as a team, every loss can feel bigger than what it is," Durant said. "Every win can feel like you damn near won a championship. But that's just the amount of pressure that comes with the expectations of us being a good team.
"These losses are gonna make us better. They're gonna help us grow character, help us continue to figure out what we need to do to be effective as a group. So through the midst of it all, just keep grinding and keep figuring it out."