The Los Angeles Lakers confirmed on Monday that Luka Doncic (lower left leg contusion) and Rui Hachimura (right groin soreness) will be in uniform for the team’s Christmas Day meeting with the Houston Rockets. Jaxson Hayes, dealing with left-ankle soreness, has been ruled out.
Doncic, who sat out the last two games, had been listed as questionable but is now cleared to return and is expected to unveil his new Jordan Brand signature shoe on the holiday stage at Crypto.com Arena. Hachimura also receives the green light after experiencing groin discomfort.
With Hayes unavailable, head coach JJ Redick is likely to turn to Maxi Kleber for backup center minutes behind starter Deandre Ayton. Redick indicated he could deploy smaller lineups at times to counter Houston’s size, a key factor as the Rockets rank among the league’s best offensive-rebounding clubs.
Both teams arrive in Los Angeles looking to halt recent slides. The Lakers have dropped consecutive games for the first time this season, while the Rockets have lost four of their last five. Despite the setbacks, each squad remains near the top of the Western Conference standings.
Star power will be plentiful on Christmas, with LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Kevin Durant, and Alperen Şengün joining Doncic on the floor. James recently pointed to defensive lapses—fast-break scores, second-chance points, and uncontested threes—after a loss to the Phoenix Suns, saying the Lakers need “five guys on a string” to regain form.
Source: LakersNation.com
