LOS ANGELES -- — Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead six players in double figures and the Houston Rockets never trailed in beating Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers 117-96 on Thursday night.

Kevin Durant added 25 points and nine assists for the Rockets, who ended a two-game skid while improving to 7-7 on the road. Thompson had seven rebounds and five assists.

Doncic scored 25 points and LeBron James added 18 points for the Lakers, who fell to 25-27 in their 27th consecutive appearance on Christmas and 52nd overall in a tradition that began in 1949. They've dropped three in a row overall.

Doncic and James were a combined 4 of 11 from 3-point range. They also combined for nine of the Lakers' 16 turnovers. Doncic returned after missing a loss at Phoenix after injuring his left leg in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last weekend.

James and Durant squared off in the highest-scoring matchup in NBA history. No two opposing players ever entered a game with more combined career points.

Alperen Sengun had 12 rebounds in helping the Rockets dominate the boards, 48-25. He had as many as the Lakers' entire starting lineup combined.

The Rockets led by 14 points in the first quarter and were up 63-53 at halftime, when James had just eight points. Durant and Thompson had 16 each in the half.

Houston opened the third with an 18-5 run that extended its lead to 23.

The Lakers got no points from starter Rui Hachimura while losing starter Austin Reaves to a sore left calf. He had 12 points and didn't return after halftime.

Up next

Rockets: Host Cleveland on Saturday.

Lakers: Host Sacramento on Sunday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Alperen Sengun vs. Deandre Ayton (Jabari Smith Jr. gains possession)	0	0
11:39	Kevin Durant misses driving floating jump shot	0	0
11:36	Amen Thompson offensive rebound	0	0
11:35	Tari Eason makes 24-foot three point jumper (Kevin Durant assists)	0	3
11:08	Luka Doncic bad pass turnover (Alperen Sengun steals)	0	3
10:51	Tari Eason misses 15-foot step back jumpshot	0	3
10:47	Alperen Sengun offensive rebound	0	3
10:45	Kevin Durant misses 25-foot three point jumper	0	3
10:41	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	0	3
10:37	Deandre Ayton makes 7-foot two point shot (Luka Doncic assists)	2	3
10:24	Kevin Durant out of bounds bad pass turnover	2	3
10:15	Luka Doncic bad pass turnover (Jabari Smith Jr. steals)	2	3
10:09	Tari Eason makes 1-foot running dunk (Alperen Sengun assists)	2	5
9:49	Luka Doncic bad pass turnover (Amen Thompson steals)	2	5
9:45	Luka Doncic blocks Amen Thompson 's 3-foot running layup	2	5
9:45	Rockets offensive team rebound	2	5
9:38	Alperen Sengun bad pass turnover (LeBron James steals)	2	5
9:35	Jabari Smith Jr. shooting foul	2	5
9:35	LeBron James makes free throw 1 of 2	3	5
9:35	LeBron James misses free throw 2 of 2	3	5
9:33	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	3	5
9:18	Kevin Durant misses 16-foot pullup jump shot	3	5
9:15	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	3	5
9:15	Tari Eason personal foul	3	5
9:12	Austin Reaves bad pass turnover (Tari Eason steals)	3	5
9:08	Tari Eason makes 1-foot driving dunk	3	7
8:54	Austin Reaves misses 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	3	7
8:51	Kevin Durant defensive rebound	3	7
8:34	Kevin Durant misses 5-foot pullup jump shot	3	7
8:32	Amen Thompson offensive rebound	3	7
8:32	Amen Thompson makes two point shot	3	9
8:17	Austin Reaves makes 23-foot three point jumper (Luka Doncic assists)	6	9
8:06	Jabari Smith Jr. makes 26-foot three point jumper (Tari Eason assists)	6	12
7:50	Austin Reaves makes driving layup	8	12
7:37	Kevin Durant makes 6-foot fade away jump shot (Amen Thompson assists)	8	14
7:27	Luka Doncic steps out of bounds turnover	8	14
7:14	Amen Thompson makes driving layup	8	16
7:05	LeBron James misses 26-foot three point jumper	8	16
7:02	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	8	16
6:48	Alperen Sengun makes 10-foot hook shot	8	18
6:42	Lakers Full timeout	8	18
6:33	Deandre Ayton makes 16-foot jumper (LeBron James assists)	10	18
6:15	Amen Thompson makes driving layup (Alperen Sengun assists)	10	20
5:59	Rui Hachimura misses 22-foot three point jumper	10	20
5:56	Amen Thompson defensive rebound	10	20
5:44	Amen Thompson makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Alperen Sengun assists)	10	22
5:36	Lakers Full timeout	10	22
5:36	Marcus Smart enters the game for LeBron James	10	22
5:36	Dorian Finney-Smith enters the game for Jabari Smith Jr.	10	22
5:36	Reed Sheppard enters the game for Tari Eason	10	22
5:21	Austin Reaves makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (Luka Doncic assists)	12	22
4:55	Reed Sheppard misses 28-foot three point jumper	12	22
4:52	Rui Hachimura defensive rebound	12	22
4:46	Austin Reaves makes running layup	14	22
4:36	Deandre Ayton shooting foul	14	22
4:36	Amen Thompson makes free throw 1 of 2	14	23
4:36	Jake LaRavia enters the game for Austin Reaves	14	23
4:36	Steven Adams enters the game for Alperen Sengun	14	23
4:36	Amen Thompson misses free throw 2 of 2	14	23
4:33	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	14	23
4:23	Steven Adams kicked ball violation	14	23
4:14	Luka Doncic makes driving layup	16	23
4:07	Kevin Durant makes 17-foot pullup jump shot	16	25
3:38	Kevin Durant blocks Rui Hachimura 's 14-foot two point shot	16	25
3:33	Rui Hachimura offensive rebound	16	25
3:32	Rui Hachimura misses 14-foot fade away jump shot	16	25
3:27	Jake LaRavia offensive rebound	16	25
3:27	Jake LaRavia makes two point shot	18	25
3:22	Reed Sheppard misses 27-foot three point pullup jump shot	18	25
3:17	Steven Adams offensive rebound	18	25
3:17	Steven Adams misses tip in dunk	18	25
3:17	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	18	25
3:09	Reed Sheppard shooting foul	18	25
3:09	Luka Doncic makes free throw 1 of 2	19	25
3:09	Maxi Kleber enters the game for Deandre Ayton	19	25
3:09	LeBron James enters the game for Marcus Smart	19	25
3:09	Luka Doncic makes free throw 2 of 2	20	25
2:47	Steven Adams makes layup (Kevin Durant assists)	20	27
2:33	Luka Doncic misses 29-foot three point jumper	20	27
2:30	Steven Adams defensive rebound	20	27
2:23	Kevin Durant makes 26-foot three point jumper (Amen Thompson assists)	20	30
2:04	LeBron James out of bounds lost ball turnover	20	30
2:04	Jarred Vanderbilt enters the game for Rui Hachimura	20	30
2:04	Jabari Smith Jr. enters the game for Amen Thompson	20	30
2:04	Alperen Sengun enters the game for Kevin Durant	20	30
1:50	Reed Sheppard makes 12-foot pullup jump shot	20	32
1:42	LeBron James makes 25-foot three pointer	23	32
1:21	Alperen Sengun offensive charge	23	32
1:21	Alperen Sengun offensive foul turnover	23	32
1:21	Josh Okogie enters the game for Dorian Finney-Smith	23	32
1:06	Jake LaRavia misses 5-foot hook shot	23	32
1:04	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	23	32
56.3	Reed Sheppard makes 25-foot three point jumper (Steven Adams assists)	23	35
39.8	Maxi Kleber misses 25-foot three point jumper	23	35
37.7	Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound	23	35
25.0	Maxi Kleber shooting foul	23	35
25.0	Alperen Sengun makes free throw 1 of 2	23	36
25.0	Amen Thompson enters the game for Steven Adams	23	36
25.0	Tari Eason enters the game for Reed Sheppard	23	36
25.0	Alperen Sengun makes free throw 2 of 2	23	37
1.7	Maxi Kleber makes driving layup (Luka Doncic assists)	25	37
1.5	Tari Eason misses heave jump shot	25	37
1.0	Rockets offensive team rebound	25	37
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	25	37

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

crypto.com Arena

Los Angeles, CA

Date & Time

1:00 AM, December 26, 2025

Coverage

ABC, ESPN

Attendance

18,997

Referees

James Capers, Marat Kogut, Jason Goldenberg

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	46	17	.730	W3
Houston	39	23	.629	W1
Memphis	23	38	.377	L2
Dallas	21	42	.333	L6
New Orleans	20	45	.308	L1

2025-26 Pacific Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
LA Lakers	38	25	.603	W1
Phoenix	36	27	.571	W1
Golden State	32	30	.516	W1
LA Clippers	30	32	.484	L1
Sacramento	14	50	.219	L3

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Amen Thompson's 26 points lead Rockets to 119-96 win over Doncic and the Lakers

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