Christmas Day Brings Another Big Opportunity For The Rockets

The Houston Rockets have had an up-and-down season so far. They've shown flashes of excellence with some dominant victories, but they've also shown their limitations by taking losses against worse teams and failing to finish against top teams.

The Rockets get another opportunity to gain some momentum in their season with a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas. A tough game is in store for the Rockets, but they could have the personnel to take an advantage and take another victory over a top Western Conference team.

The Lakers present a unique challenge with three All-Star caliber ball handlers on the perimeter. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves are dynamic perimeter players, and each of them is capable of exploding for a huge game at any time.

The Rockets will try to counter their star players with a steady stream of wing defenders, like Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and Jabari Smith Jr.

Eason's return to the lineup should bolster the team's defense as Smith Jr.'s play defensively has had its own fluctuating effectiveness. Quality point-of-attack defense is critical against a team like the Lakers who have several players who can break down defenses just with the threat of their scoring and ability to find their spots.

Things could become even more difficult for the Rockets if they allow Doncic and James to distribute for their teammates as well.

When they can pick defenses apart, the entire team becomes more engaged with the offense. This makes off-ball defense just as important for the Rockets as their on-ball defense on the Lakers' main ball handlers.

Defensively, they must focus on making things difficult for the Lakers' star scorers, but they must also continue contributing on the offensive side.

Thompson must find a way to be more of a perimeter threat against a team that isn't very strong in that area. The Lakers are limited in terms of their on-ball defense, so there should be opportunites for Thompson to get into the paint and do some damage close to the rim.

Sengun should also be able to perform against the Lakers, taking advantage of his strength in the paint to take on any defender the Lakers have available to guard him. The increased offensive usage for Thompson and Sengun could open spaces for Smith Jr. and Kevin Durant to knock down outside shots, allowing the way for Durant to take over late and finish the game.

Houston's game against the Lakers is another big Western Conference matchup, and the Rockets need things to go right on both sides of the court to find a win on Christmas Day.