Christmas reminded fans of Houston's true strengths: defense, rebounding, and discipline. They controlled the pace, outplayed the Lakers, and showcased their emerging pattern of urgency.
Christmas didn’t magically fix the Houston Rockets. It just stripped the game down to the parts they actually do well.
National TV games don’t feel like normal December nights- the pace slows and rotations tend to shorten. An environment like that rewards teams that can defend, rebound, and stay disciplined without needing momentum, and that’s exactly where Houston finally looked comfortable again.
After a messy road trip full of overtime losses and slip-ups against much lower-ranked teams, the Rockets came out against the Lakers with a very different posture. The focus was immediate, the ball moved early, and controlled defensive pressure showed up in every possession. Houston set the tone early on Thursday night and never let go of it.
There’s a Rockets pattern emerging as of late: when urgency is called for in a matchup, they respond. Against elite or spotlight opponents, the Rockets defend harder, communicate better, and commit to control and patience.
The Lakers couldn’t speed the game up, and Houston refused to turn the game into a shotmaking contest. The Rockets looked like themselves again- controlling the glass, protecting the paint, and forcing Los Angeles into uncomfortable possessions all night. Even when the Rockets cooled from three, the structure never wavered.
Christmas games demand discipline, and Houston finally stepped up.
RThe challenge now is simple, but much harder. Can the Rockets bring that same level of attention when the lights aren’t as bright? Because Christmas showed exactly who they can be when they do.