Are Luka Doncic, Alperen Sengun playing tonight? Lakers vs. Rockets Christmas injury report

The Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets in the penultimate 2025 NBA Christmas Day game, with both teams in danger of missing their best player. Luka Doncic and Alperen Sengun are both questionable for the matchup, which threatens the significance of their prime-time showdown. Here is everything we know about Luka Doncic and Alperen Sengun’s playing statuses in the Christmas Day game.

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Luka Doncic’s injury status vs. Rockets

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

Although he is still listed as questionable, the Lakers “expect” Doncic to play on Christmas, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. The team wanted to monitor his status during a private workout on Wednesday, with the intention of clearing him for the prime-time showdown.

The Lakers’ backcourt has been paper-thin without Doncic due to Austin Reaves’ corresponding absence. Both star guards have been injured over the last week, forcing the workload back onto 40-year-old LeBron James’ shoulders. As a result, the Lakers enter Christmas on a two-game skid, losing by an average of 19.5 points per game.

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

Alperen Sengun’s injury status vs. Lakers

Unlike Doncic, Sengun has not missed a game for the Rockets recently. The center is a new addition to the injury report, listed as questionable due to calf tightness.

Sengun taking a day off is certainly possible, but it is not his M.O. The 23-year-old missed two games earlier in the month due to illness, but he has otherwise been as advertised to end 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 last absence, which would likely be the case again if he spends the Christmas Day game on the bench. However, given the magnitude of the matchup, expect the Turkish star to take the court on Thursday.

Lakers injury report

Gabe Vincent, OUT (Lumbar back strain)

Luka Doncic, Questionable (Lower left leg contusion)

Jaxson Hayes, Questionable (Left ankle soreness)

Rui Hachimura, Probable (Right groin injury management)

Rockets injury report

Fred VanVleet, OUT (Torn right ACL)

Alperen Sengun, Questionable (Left calf tightness)

Jae’Sean Tate, Questionable (Left wrist contusion)

Dorian Finney-Smith, Questionable (Left ankle surgery)

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