Is Luka Doncic playing tonight? Lakers vs. Rockets Christmas Day Injury Report

The The Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets in the penultimate NBA game of Christmas 2025, with both teams in danger of being without their best player. Luka Dončić and Alperen Sengun both are questionable for the match, which threatens the importance of their prime-time showdown. Here’s everything we know about the player statuses of Luka Doncic and Alperen Sengun in the Christmas game.

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Luka Doncic’s injury status against the Rockets

Two days after the last outing of the Lakers, Luka Doncic is back listed as suspicious with contusion of the left leg. However, there is optimism that he will return from a two-game absence.

Although still listed as suspicious, The Lakers “expect” Doncic to play on ChristmasESPN’s Shams Charania reported. The team wanted to monitor his status during a private practice Wednesday, with the intent of clearing him for the primetime showdown.

The Lakers backcourt was like paper without Doncic due to the corresponding absence of Austin Reaves. Both star guards have been injured over the past week, putting the workload back on the shoulders of 40-year-old LeBron James. As a result, the Lakers enter Christmas on a two-game skid, averaging 19.5 points per game.

Reaves returned from a calf injury in the Lakers’ game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday and played 22 minutes off the bench. His recent reinstatement with Doncic’s expected return at Christmas.

Alperen Sengun’s injury status against the Lakers

Unlike Doncic, Sengun hasn’t missed a game for the Rockets lately. The center is a new addition to the injury report, listed as questionable with a calf strain.

Sengun taking a day off is certainly possible, but that’s not his MO The 23-year-old missed two games earlier in the month due to illness, but otherwise it is as advertised to finish the year. Sengun enters the Christmas matchup averaging 24.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists in eight games in December.

The Rockets alternated between Clint Capela and Steven Adams during Sengun’s most recent absence, which would likely be the case again if he spends the Christmas game on the bench. However, given the magnitude of the match, expect the Turkish star to take the field on Thursday.

Lakers injury report

Gabe Vincent, OUT (lumbar back strain)

Luka Dončić, questionable (lower left leg contusion)

Jackson Hayes, questionable (left ankle soreness)

Rui Hachimura, likely (treatment of right groin injury)

Rocket Injuries Report

Fred VanVleet, OUT (Torn right ACL)

Alperen Sengun, questionable (left calf strain)

Jae’Sean Tate, questionable (left wrist injury)

Dorian Finney-Smith, questionable (left ankle surgery)