NBA: Rockets wrap up trip with dominant Christmas win over Lakers

Amen Thompson scored 26 points and Kevin Durant added 25 as the visiting Houston Rockets led wire-to-wire in a 119-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in a Christmas Day matchup on Thursday.

Jabari Smith Jr. contributed 16 points for Houston, which finished its six-game road trip with a 2-4 record. Alperen Sengun added 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard each finished with 13 points. Thompson also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists.

For the Lakers, Luka Doncic led with 25 points, and LeBron James added 18. Austin Reaves scored 12 before exiting at halftime with left calf soreness, Jarred Vanderbilt added 11, and Deandre Ayton had 10.

The Lakers dropped three straight games for the first time this season. They were outrebounded 48-25 and lost for the sixth time in their last 10 games.

Houston shot 62.5% from the field in the opening quarter and led 37-25 at the end of the period. Doncic played the entire first quarter but managed only four points and had four turnovers.

Doncic and Vanderbilt hit back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Lakers within 48-44 with 4:16 left in the second quarter, but Houston responded and maintained a 63-53 lead at halftime. Durant and Thompson scored 16 points each in the first half for the Rockets, while Doncic led the Lakers with 15 points.

The Rockets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the third quarter, extending it to 81-58 on Smith's tip-in with 5:52 left. Houston closed the period ahead 92-74.

James, entering the game as the NBA's career leader in Christmas games played (19) and points scored on the holiday (507), cut the deficit to 97-80 with a dunk with 8:16 left in the game.

Ayton’s layup capped a 9-2 Lakers run, pulling them within 104-89 with 5:07 remaining. Houston then scored the next nine points to secure the victory.

Houston forward Dorian Finney-Smith made his season debut following offseason ankle surgery, playing 13 scoreless minutes off the bench against his former team.

—Field Level Media/Reuters