As the holiday season approaches, the Los Angeles Lakers have a lot to be thankful for as Luka Doncic is turning in one of the best seasons of his career.
The Lakers remain in the hunt in the Western Conference largely thanks to Doncic, who has been even more potent offensively than in years past. His body transformation this past offseason has enabled him to play much quicker and for longer spurts, especially down the stretch of games.
Christmas Day is one of the biggest days in the NBA calendar as all the marquee teams get to play in front of the fans for the holidays. The purple and gold are a staple of the Christmas Day slate and they’ll host the Houston Rockets for a primetime matchup.
Ahead of the game, Doncic sent out a fun message to the Rockets:
Luka Doncic’s Christmas message for the Rockets:
“We look forward to welcoming you to LA on Christmas, where we celebrate the holidays by handing out big gifts and tough L’s” 😂pic.twitter.com/PlBvYS0poF
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) December 23, 2025
In the video, Doncic is asked what messaged he’d like to send to his opponents and jokingly throws out that he and the Lakers will be serving gifts and losses while a filter of Christmas-themed glasses comes up. It was clearly in jest in order to promote the matchup and Doncic was happy to play along.
As of now, though, Doncic is considered day-to-day and is not guaranteed to suit up against Houston due to a leg contusion that he and the team are managing. Head coach JJ Redick said that Doncic has collided with players multiple times this season, so they’re looking into ways to ensure he stays healthy the rest of the way.
According to recent reports, however, Luka is expected to play on Christmas.
Even if Doncic is able to suit up, the Rockets will present a tough challenge as they have the size, length and athleticism to really disrupt their offense. Luka can score against any defense, but Houston has the bodies to throw at him and wear him down over the course of the game.
After their most recent loss to the Phoenix Suns where Doncic was ruled out, Lakers fans will want a Christmas present in the form of a win so hopefully he is able to play.
JJ Redick pleased with Luka Doncic’s willingness to play off ball
Doncic and LeBron James are at their best with the basketball in their hands, but they’ve been able to adapt and play off of it as well. JJ Redick has been pleased with their willingness to play off ball and it’s given the offense an extra dimension.
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