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Five Things On The Kings' Christmas Wishlist For A Merry Season Finish

The Los Angeles Kings don't need a miracle this Christmas to save their season. They don't even need a splashy trade, a headline-grabbing signing, or even a reinvention in their front office. What they really need is progress in the areas that have been holding them back all season long. 

As the season rolls into the holiday stretch, the Kings find themselves playing mediocre hockey, especially in December, going 3-8 in the 11 games they've played this month, and have just one home win nearly two and a half weeks ago against Chicago.  

If Santa's listening, here's a realistic Kings Christmas wishlist. 

A Power Play That Stops Holding Them Back

The Kings don't need elite power play if that's asking too much from them; they just need one that doesn't feel like a momentum killer every time they step on the ice and play. 

For long stretches of this season, LA's five-on-five play has been good enough to compete with anyone in the league. The issue has been turning advantages into separation, and that's not more apparent with man advantage, where the Kings have been terrible at. 

Too often, the Kings' predictable entries and struggles to convert on the power play, which drains the energy inside the building, say everything you need to know about how bad it's been. They have scored only four power-play goals in their last 10 games. 

In the postseason and in late-game situations, that flaw is exposed by teams that can use it against the Kings and beat them whenever they want. Special teams swing close games, and Los Angeles has lived on the wrong side of that for so many stretches this year. 

A functional power play that can score when it matters most would change the outlook of the Kings' season and get them back in Stanley Cup contention. 

Quinton Byfield's Breakout Becoming Permanent

Quinton Byfield's development has been a real treat for Kings fans. The numbers have gotten better every single season, and the eye test says he can break out into an even better player, which is scary. 

After playing just six games in his rookie campaign, Byfield began a new role. By the 2022-23 season, he posted 22 points in 53 games, elevating his playmaking skills. Then came the big leap. In 2023-24, Byfield played all 80 games and delivered 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) with a plus - 19 rating, while averaging 16 minutes of ice time. 

The numbers nearly doubled in those two seasons. And last season, he followed it up with another consistent season, scoring 54 points in 81 games, raising his average time on ice to 18 minutes, and taking on more challenging assignments as his star level rose. 

This season, his role has expanded even further. His ice time has climbed north of 20 minutes per game, a clear signal of trust from the coaching staff. The next step for Byfield could be simply to continue this streak of consistency for years to come and become one of the league's premier young talents. 

But despite Byfield getting more playing time, his numbers are a little down this season, and he has struggled over the last 20 games. Byfield has scored just two goals in the previous 20 games for the Kings and has four goals total in 35 games. 

Regardless of Byfield struggling this season, if he plays well consistently for several seasons, the future could be bright for Los Angeles. 

Anze Kopitar Staying a Little Longer

Every franchise and die-hard fan reaches the moment when they have to imagine themselves without their cornerstones, the players they've watched play for their team for as long as they can remember.

Anze Kopitar remains the heart and soul of this team. His numbers may not show it on the statsheet as they did a few years ago. Still, his impact remains big everywhere else, including leadership, mentoring players, defensive responsibility, and faceoffs. 

Kopitar has already come out and said this will be his last season playing hockey after 20 years of battles in the league, so it's unlikely he will change his mind on that decision. The only way his decision will change is if Kopitar wants to win more Stanley Cups and believes this Kings team has a legit chance, but Kopitar's legacy will remain the same whether he wins or retires. 

If Kopitar has another season left in him, it would be huge, but everyone knows that it's time to hang it up for Kopitar, who will go down as one of the greatest players ever and maybe the best King of all time.

Finally Getting Past the First Round

The Kings have had some bad luck in the last few years when they've made the postseason. Matching up against the Edmonton Oilers hasn't been good for them; they've lost four consecutive playoff series to the same team over the past four years.

Last year was the breaking point: finally having home-ice advantage against their rival and holding a 2-0 series lead, but they collapsed, losing four straight games and going home in six.

It comes down to matchups in the postseason in sports, and the Oilers are the one team Los Angeles can't seem to beat, whether they have home ice or not. It will undoubtedly be tough to accomplish this season because of the struggles the Kings have had this year compared to last year, and because of the teams ahead of them, including Dallas, Vegas, Edmonton, Colorado, etc. 

But getting past the first round will finally dispel the psychological effect the Oilers have had on the Kings over the last four postseasons. Winning a playoff series changes how a team carries itself, especially for the year the Kings are having. This would be a massive success for them. 

Success At Home 

Crypto.com Arena shoould feel uncomfortable for visitng teams, but this season, it hasn't. 

Sitting at 4-8-4 at home this year after being the best team at home last year is a big disappointment. Not just that, but the Kings might actually be the worst team at home, scoring the fewest goals (32) in the league and posting the worst pp percentage (10.7%). 

A winning home record will bring energy back into the stadium and reestablish the Kings' identity. Home games should give teams a significant advantage over visiting teams and boost their energy, but none have happened for Los Angeles. 

A Realistic Christmas Wish

None of these wishes is unrealistic. It's entirely possible, and it could happen if the Kings get it together. 

Los Angeles needs to be better where it matters most, not something it's not. If even a few of these items are checked off by the season's end, success in Los Angeles might come with something fans haven't felt in a while. 

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Steph Curry shares how playing Klay Thompson puts NBA journey into perspective

Steph Curry shares how playing Klay Thompson puts NBA journey into perspective originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Christmas Day wasn’t Klay Thompson’s first time playing at Chase Center as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, but each time the Warriors legend returns is a special occasion for Dub Nation and his former teammates.

That admiration was on display during a moment in warmups, hours before Golden State’s eventual 126-116 win Thursday, when the ex-Warriors guard and Steph Curry met up for a pregame handshake — an interaction that elicited cheers from the Bay Area crowd.

The moment wasn’t lost on Curry, who won four NBA championships with his fellow Splash Bro over the course of 13 years before Thompson departed for the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade following the 2023-24 season.

“Yeah, [Warriors fans] don’t miss a thing for sure, especially the Splash Bros out there,” Curry told reporters after the game. “Very sentimental moment, I’m sure, any time we’re in the same space, Draymond [Green] included, so that was cool, for sure.”

The reunion came just one day after Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted Golden State is a “fading dynasty.” Both Curry and Thompson were key to those golden days, but facing each other on different teams at ages 37 and 35, respectively, certainly puts things into perspective for the Warriors point guard.

But Curry knows both he and Thompson still are capable of accomplishing more, no matter how quickly Father Time is ticking.

“It will never be normal, you know, seeing [Thompson] somewhere else, but it’s also — we’re all trying to deal with the here and now,” Curry said. “And we’re such competitors that no matter what position you’re in or situation you’re in with your teams, you still feel like you can win and you have a lot to accomplish. So, it’s a great reminder of the journey, but you don’t really put too much extra emphasis on it.

“That time will come down the road.”

There’s no saying for sure when Curry or Thompson will hang up their sneakers. But the memories they’ve made together — and the memories Dub Nation has made watching them play with and now against each other — certainly will live on forever.

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Steve Kerr misses Klay Thompson, wishes Splash Brother still was on the Warriors

Steve Kerr misses Klay Thompson, wishes Splash Brother still was on the Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors’ core, which won four NBA championships in eight seasons, is family.

Which made Klay Thompson’s discontent and subsequent departure two years ago all that much harder.

But more than a full season removed from Thompson leaving the Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks, the bitterness seems to have dissipated and given way to nostalgia.

Following the Warriors’ 126-116 Christmas Day win over the Mavericks, coach Steve Kerr was asked if he has gotten used to seeing Thompson on the other side, as an opponent.

“No,” Kerr told reporters at Chase Center. “I’ll never get used to seeing Klay on the other side. I miss Klay. Wish he was still here.”

Kerr’s comments echo what Steph Curry told ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon in the lead-up to Thursday’s game between the Warriors and Mavericks.

“I wish he was still here,” Curry told Slater and MacMahon.

As much as Kerr and Curry miss Thompson, that page has been turned, at least for the moment.

Thompson has one more guaranteed year left on his three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks. But the team he joined before last season is completely different, and his role has changed as well. He’s no longer a starter, having been relegated to the bench unit.

Thompson picked the Mavericks over the Los Angeles Lakers because he wanted to play with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. But Doncic was traded to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and Irving is recovering from a torn ACL.

Two years removed from the NBA Finals, the Mavericks, who are building around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, are a borderline Western Conference play-in team this season.

That could open the door for the Mavericks to move Thompson to a contender before the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.

The Warriors believe they have the pieces to contend in the West, but they have yet to consistently show it. Thursday’s win pushes their record to 16-15.

So a return to the Warriors might not be the move Thompson is looking for, if he wants out of Dallas at all.

But Curry and Thompson didn’t shut the door on it when talking to Slater and MacMahon.

“I don’t know,” Thompson told Slater and MacMahon when asked if playing one final season with the Warriors was possible. “That’s a long ways away, man. That’s a lot of basketball to be had. I don’t know what the future holds.”

“It would be unbelievable,” Curry told Slater and MacMahon of a possible reunion. “If that time comes and that conversation is had, of course I’m calling him and saying, ‘We want you back.’ And hopefully that would be a welcome message to him. But as we stand right now, that does seem like a far distant reality. But so did him leaving.”

Curry and Kerr have publicly stated they miss Thompson in the Bay. That doesn’t mean the four-time NBA champion will come back someday.

But it at least plants the seed.

In today’s NBA, anything is possible.

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What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors outlast Klay, Mavs in Christmas Day win

What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors outlast Klay, Mavs in Christmas Day win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Cheer and joy had no place for drama and coal when it came to the Warriors on Christmas this year.

Though the game wasn’t stylistically a thing of beauty, the Warriors outlasted the Dallas Mavericks 126-116 on Thursday for their third straight win, giving Golden State (16-15) its second three-game win streak of the season.

Steph Curry never got going, yet still led the Warriors with 23 points. Nobody else on the Warriors reached 20 points, but six others scored in double figures.

No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg scored a game-high 27 points in his first career contest against the Warriors. Franchise legend Klay Thompson struggled shooting and scored a lowly seven points off the bench for the Mavs. Thompson went 3 of 8 from the field and made one of his four 3-pointers in 26 minutes. 

The Warriors shot an ugly 28 percent from 3-point range themselves but still had a 30-point advantage on threes over the Mavs. 

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ third straight win.

Draymond’s Christmas Response

Promises were made in the aftermath of Monday’s incident that the argument between Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr during a third-quarter timeout would not linger. The two apologized to each other, as well as the team, and turned the page.

Kerr also made it clear that the past has shown he expected the best version of Green in the next game, which just so happened to fall on Christmas in front of a national audience. 

The response by Green and his Golden State teammates had them walking the walk after talking the talk. Nobody seemed fazed by a frustrating scene a few days prior, including Green. He played spectacular defense on Anthony Davis before the often-injured big man’s day ended early. 

Davis, in just under 11 minutes, scored just three points and was 1 of 4 from the field. 

As for Green, he gave the Warriors seven points, five rebounds, three assists and two turnovers, and was a team-low minus-9. He went to the bench at the 8:46 mark of the fourth quarter with five fouls and returned for the final four minutes and 37 seconds. The Warriors outscored the Mavs by four points down the stretch with him back on the court.

Focus and composure weren’t a problem for Green after two straight games of letting his emotions take over in the worst ways.

Good Enough Group Effort

It was one year ago when the Warriors wasted Curry’s Christmas heroics of 38 points and eight 3-pointers in a heartbreaking last-second loss against the Los Angeles Lakers. Curry this year was much closer to how he typically fares on Christmas. 

The holiday hasn’t always been kind to Curry. Coming into Curry’s 12th Christmas game, he has only averaged 17.6 points on 35.1 percent shooting with a 28.0 3-point percentage. Curry couldn’t find his 3-point shot (2 of 10), opting instead to convert a few layups and made all nine of his free throws.

Jimmy Butler didn’t go on a scoring spree and still was what Curry and the Warriors needed. Doing it all, Butler just missed a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Butler was a plus-14.

Warriors reserves scored 64 points, 10 more than the Mavs’ bench, and featured four players who ended with 10 or more points. Every bench player had a positive plus/minus, led by De’Anthony Melton’s 16 points as a plus-19. Those around Curry picked him up, and there still will be corrections to be made from film.

You Can Call Him Al

Truth be told, everybody reaches an age where their body needs a break. Al Horford, at 39 years old, is firmly entrenched in that club. Between a sciatic nerve irritation issue and missing a few days for an excused personal reason, Horford hadn’t played in the Warriors’ last seven games over a three-week stretch going into Thursday. 

That long of a break apparently is exactly what Horford needed to deliver the kind of player the Warriors always expected after signing the five-time All-Star center. The Warriors struggled shooting the ball to begin the game, missing their first six 3-point attempts. Then Horford got off the bench for the first time since Dec. 4 and brought the goods. 

Horford, in the final three minutes and 43 seconds of the first quarter, let it fly from deep four times, connecting on all four. The Warriors went from leading by two points before his first shot attempt to owning a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter, in which Horford scored 12 points on a perfect 4 of 4 beyond the arc. 

The 19-year NBA veteran also made history in the first quarter alone. Horford became the first player ever to make four 3-pointers in a Christmas game at 39 or older. In 11 minutes off the bench, Horford was a plus-9 with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting while adding four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

A Christmas miracle or just one game? Horford looked spry and resembled what the Warriors would love to see as often as possible the rest of the season.

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Canadiens: It Can’t Just Be About The Wins

While the Montreal Canadiens have done a pretty good job of staying in the playoff race since the start of the season, when you look at points total, sooner rather than later, they’ll have to start looking at how they win their games.

When everyone has played 82 games, if two teams have the same number of points, the first tiebreaker is regulation wins. Right now, the Canadiens have won 20 games this season, but only 13 of them were won in regulation.

In the Atlantic Division, only the Toronto Maple Leafs ,  the Boston Bruins ,and  the Buffalo Sabres   have fewer regulation wins than the Habs (12).    The Ottawa Senators have 13, and the rest of the teams battling for a playoff spot all have more regulation wins than the Habs: the Florida Panthers 17, the Detroit Red Wings 16, and the Tampa Bay Lightning 17.

The Canadiens have a lot of ground to make up, despite hanging with the big boys when it comes to points. Winning games in overtime and in the shootout may be spectacular and mean the fans get a good show, but at the end of the day, that’s not what matters. What matters is not only putting points on the board, but beating your opponent in the 60 minutes a match is supposed to last.

Once you get in the playoffs, though, that’s when being able to win in crunch time really matters. That’s where you get endless games that are not worth two points; they are each worth a W, one of the 16 you need to claim Lord Stanley’s Cup. Until the Spring dance starts, though, emphasis has to be on winning games as quickly and efficiently as possible. Perhaps that could be the Habs’ collective New Year’s resolution.

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John Gibson’s December Magic Lights Up Detroit, Enters Christmas Break Red Hot

John Gibson is proving to be a fan of the holiday season.

The veteran goaltender has strung together a perfect December, winning all eight of his starts this month and setting a new career high in consecutive victories.

Gibson had previously tied his personal best of seven straight wins during his time with the Anaheim Ducks. Over this streak, he has posted a .927 save percentage and a 2.12 goals-against average, giving the Detroit Red Wings a much-needed boost heading into the Christmas break.

For the season, Gibson now holds a 12-7-1 record with a 3.01 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage. While those numbers reflect the team’s early struggles, his hot streak is a reminder of the elite goaltender Gibson once was.

Between 2015 and 2018, he ranked among the NHL’s top netminders, compiling a 77-47-20 record with a 2.26 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage over 152 appearances. He finished his tenure in Anaheim with 506 games played, posting a 204-217-63 record, a 2.89 goals-against average, and a .910 save percentage.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Several teams, including the Oilers, Mammoth, Sharks, and Flyers, reportedly explored trades for Gibson, but Detroit ultimately became the landing spot for the Pittsburgh native. The Red Wings acquired him from the Ducks during the summer draft, sending Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick to Anaheim. The Ducks, shifting toward a younger core, moved on from their longtime starter as Lukas Dostal took on a larger share of the workload.

If Gibson’s current form continues, Detroit could be witnessing the return of a goaltender who once stood among the NHL’s best. His play could prove pivotal as the Red Wings aim for their first playoff berth in nearly a decade. Detroit has won nine of its last 12 games, tying with the Colorado Avalanche for the best record in the NHL during December.

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Steph Curry rocks Klay Thompson's shoes during Christmas Day game vs. Mavericks

Steph Curry rocks Klay Thompson's shoes during Christmas Day game vs. Mavericks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Since parting ways with Under Armour in November, sneaker free agent Steph Curry has put a lot of thought into the shoes he wears when he arrives at the arena, when he warms up and when he plays in the games.

And Christmas Day was no different for the Warriors superstar.

After arriving in Kobe Bryant’s “Yellow Toe” Player Edition of Allen Iverson’s Reebok Question kicks and warming up in his original 2010 Nike Christmas sneakers, Curry wore Klay Thompson’s KT11 shoes during the actual game.

Curry and Thompson spent 13 years and 11 seasons as Warriors teammates before the latter asked out and was traded to the Mavericks following the 2023-24 NBA season.

While they no longer share the same backcourt, the love between the Splash Brothers remains unbreakable.

Before Thursday’s game, Curry and Thompson shared a quick embrace during their respective pregame warmup routines.

There’s rhyme and reason behind just about everything Curry does, and Thursday’s gesture clearly was a tribute to his former running-mate and lifelong friend.

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Draymond Green perfectly claps back after Charles Barkley shades Warriors

Draymond Green perfectly claps back after Charles Barkley shades Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Charles Barkley wasn’t in the Christmas spirit on Thursday morning.

The “Inside The NBA” Grinch threw shade at the Warriors while welcoming Draymond Green to ABC’s telecast before the New York Knicks’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“We’re going to have you back here once the playoffs start,” Barkley told Green, signifying that he believes the Warriors will miss the first round of the NBA playoffs.

“Shaq, we’ll bring our rings and share them with Chuck,” Green said in response to Barkley.

Barkley is the most well-known Warriors detractor, and even after they won four NBA titles in the last 11 seasons — four more than he ever won — he still takes at them whenever he can.

But Green, a prolific trash-talker, has found a way to take shots at Barkley.

Green and Shaquille O’Neal, Barkley’s “Inside The NBA” co-host, have been doing a “Four Rings Handshake” ever since the Warriors won the 2022 NBA championship, a not-so-subtle jab at Barkley.

“It was always to pick on Charles … it’s so fun picking on Charles,” Green told former co-host Baron Davis on “The Draymond Green Show” in May. “And Chuck’s such a good sport about everything and funny as hell.”

Entering Thursday’s Christmas Day clash with the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors hold the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed, which would mean they would have to escape the NBA play-in tournament to secure a playoff spot.

Green and the Warriors made it out of the play-in tournament last season and then upset the No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets before falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round after Steph Curry sustained a hamstring injury in Game 1 of that series.

If the Warriors can replicate that success this season, Green won’t join Barkley until at least May.

But if Green has it his way, in a dream scenario, he never joins Barkley in the studio this spring as he helps lead the Warriors on a magical run to a fifth NBA title.

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Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics reportedly agree to seven-year, $86M contract

Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics reportedly agree to seven-year, $86M contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics reportedly have locked up slugger Tyler Soderstrom.

The 24-year-old left fielder and the A’s have agreed to a seven-year, $86 million contract extension, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Thursday on Christmas Day, adding that the deal includes an eighth-year club option with escalators that max out its value at $131 million.

It’s quite the Christmas gift for A’s fans and Soderstrom as the largest guarantee in franchise history.

The deal shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to fans of the Green and Gold, as manager Mark Kotsay recently emphasized the organization’s desire to keep its young core together for the foreseeable future — specifically naming Soderstrom, who took a huge leap in 2025, as part of that group.

“There’s a big effort there to keep this group together, there really is. I know ownership is making that effort…” Kotsay told reporters at the MLB Winter Meetings earlier this month. “If you look at the group prior to this that you could identify as a group you want to move forward with, the group that came together in ‘17 and ‘18 and ‘19 – the resources weren’t there to keep that group together. 

“I think there’s a vision and a future here going forward with this group that we’re able to at least get those opportunities out in front of these players. At the same point, it takes two to come to the table and reach that agreement and make that commitment.” 

Soderstrom and the A’s appear to have had a great conversation at said table, with the franchise-record deal coming on the heels of a campaign where he moved from first base to the outfield and made waves with both his glove and his bat.

In his third MLB season, Soderstrom slashed .276/.323/.431 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI. He also was an American League Gold Glove finalist for left field after being drafted as a catcher by the Athletics in 2020 and opening the 2025 campaign as the team’s starting first baseman.

Soderstrom’s move to the outfield proved beneficial — and, of course, made way for first baseman Nick Kurtz, who went on to win AL Rookie of the Year.

With Soderstrom on the A’s to stay, the team’s attention now will turn to extending the rest of its young core.

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Sale squad’s ‘honest’ meeting with owners has reset ambitions, says Sanderson

  • Sharks seventh in Prem heading into Harlequins match

  • Director of rugby Sanderson: ‘It wasn’t a crisis meeting’

Alex Sanderson has said an “honest” meeting of Sale’s owners, players and coaches this week has set their intention for the Boxing Day encounter with Harlequins and beyond.

The Sharks are seventh in the Prem table, with two wins from seven, and were soundly beaten by Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens last Saturday. Their most recent Prem victory came against Newcastle on 10 October, and the director of rugby knows they need to start winning to have any chance of reaching the playoffs for a fourth straight season.

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The Canadiens’ Christmas List

We’ve finally reached the Christmas break, meaning the Montreal Canadiens have a few days off to enjoy the holidays before resuming the grind of the NHL schedule for a final blitz before the Olympic break.

What do you think would be in the Habs’ players’ letters to Santa if they were even younger than they actually are? How about the coach’s? And the Owner?

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The easiest one to tackle has got to be Martin St-Louis. Over the last few years, the bench boss has been talking about needing his young team to play with consistency. No more rollercoaster, just predictable play that doesn’t have the coach looking to the heavens and wondering how his team could play so well one night and then commit silly mistakes the next day. I don’t know if Santa could oblige, but the coach would definitely ask for consistency.

There’s another one that’s almost as obvious as St-Louis’, Kaiden Guhle’s. The 23-year-old defenseman has spent so much time in the infirmary that he’s been in there more than on the ice over the course of his NHL career. That might be an exaggeration, but that’s what it feels like to the fans, the media and probably the organization and Guhle himself. There’d be just one wish on the gritty blueliner’s letter: health.

While most people receive their gifts on Christmas, some will have to wait until December 31 this year, when Olympic rosters will be announced. There are at least three players on the Habs that would ask the man in red for a roster spot in the best-on-best tournament: Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson.

Not long ago, Caufield was his country’s most prolific goal scorer, but he was stuck on 17 goals for seven games and has been overtaken by a few of his fellow citizens. Meanwhile, Hutson still hasn’t got the big body needed to play the kind of hockey Team USA wants to play. As for Suzuki, he might have the best chance of the three to get a plane ticket to Milan, but it’s not a done deal yet, despite his 40 points in 36 games, which is the eighth-highest total amongst Canadian players.

As for Samuel Montembeault, his hopes of playing in the Olympics, which seemed justified less than 12 months ago when he made the 4 Nations Face-Off, are long gone, and they’re probably not even playing on his mind right now. If he could ask Santa for one thing, it would likely be his confidence, something that is oh so important for a goaltender, and he appears to have lost somewhere along the way. That’s where finding his game back starts.

Rookies Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen would possibly ask for what Hutson got last year, a Calder Trophy. It would be hard for St. Nicholas to pick between the two, though. They have both been nice kids this season; no one’s been naughty…Maybe they settle for both getting a nomination?

As for owner Geoff Molson, there’s no doubt he’d ask for a Stanley Cup, but there’s a limit to what Santa can do, and the owner will have to wait some more before he drinks from Lord Stanley’s mug.

If you are part of those who celebrate, merry Christmas and enjoy some lovely time with your friends, your family, and your loved ones!

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'A million choices': Lakers' defense will get a Christmas Day test vs. Rockets

INGLEWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 20, 2025: Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) pulls on the jersey of LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) near the basket in the second half at the Intuit Dome on December 20, 2025 in Inglewood, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Forward LeBron James, guarding Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and the Lakers have lost two games in a row for the first time this season, in part because of lackluster defense. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

It’s not the lineups, the injuries or necessarily the system. The cause of the Lakers' defensive demise is a thousand little decisions gone wrong.

“It comes down to just making the choice,” coach JJ Redick said after the Lakers gave up 132 points in a blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. “It's making the choice. There's shortcuts you can take or you can do the hard thing and you can make the second effort or you can sprint back or you can't. It's just a choice and there's a million choices in a game, and you're very likely not gonna make every choice correctly. But can you make the vast majority of 'em correctly? It gives you a chance to win.”

Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time this season, the Lakers (19-9) are ranked 28th in defensive rating in the last 14 games entering a Christmas Day showcase against the Houston Rockets at 5 p.m. PST at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers, without any individual shutdown defenders, need a perfectly executed team defense to compete. But 15 different starting lineups in 28 games has delayed some of the team's ability to build continuity. The Lakers have had their full complement of 14 standard contract players for two games.

Forward Rui Hachimura (groin) and Luka Doncic (leg) could return Thursday. Guard Gabe Vincent, one of the team’s top defensive options on the perimeter, will miss his fourth game with lower-back soreness. Center Jaxson Hayes tweaked his left ankle in the second quarter of Tuesday’s loss and didn’t return.

The Rockets (17-10) limp into the Christmas Day blockbuster with their own struggles. The team thought to be one of the few who could challenge Oklahoma City in the West has lost five of its last seven games. Three of the losses were in overtime and four came against teams currently out of the play-in picture, including Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers.

Read more:Austin Reaves' return can't save Lakers from dismal defensive effort in loss to Suns

Led by Kevin Durant’s 25.2 points, the Rockets are a statistical anomaly in the sped up, possession-maximizing modern NBA. They have the third-ranked offense in the league despite being one of the slowest. They shoot the fewest three-pointers per game, but make them at a 40% clip that ranks second, and dominate the glass with NBA-leading 48.7 rebounds and 16.1 offensive rebounds per game.

Houston’s physicality and expertise on the boards could be especially worrisome for a team that still has to consciously choose defense on a possession-by-possession basis instead of consistently living up to a standard of playing hard.

“There's really no defense, no scheme we can do when we're giving up offensive rebounds in crucial moments like we are, our [opponents] are getting wherever they want on the court,” guard Marcus Smart said after Tuesday’s loss. “And there's no help, there's no resistance, there's no urgency. … It's on us.”

The Suns grabbed 12 offensive rebounds against the Lakers on 35 missed shots, an offensive rebounding rate of 34.3%. After the Suns scored a three-pointer by twice grabbing offensive rebounds off tipped balls, Lakers players had an animated discussion in a timeout with Smart was gesturing toward center Deandre Ayton about tipping rebounds. Ayton, who finished with 10 rebounds and 12 points, and Smart ended the timeout with a high-five.

“[I need to] just continue to talk to guys, even though sometimes they might not want to hear it,” said Smart, a free-agent addition the Lakers coveted for his leadership and tenacity on defense. “Especially when we losing, nobody wants to hear it, myself included, but also understand that it's integral for us to hear those things, to see and to be able to talk to one another and figure it out as players on the court, because we're the ones out there.”

Redick intentionally built in moments for players to connect and communicate during every timeout this season before coaches speak. The strategy was meant to encourage players to take a larger leadership role. “Championship communication” was one of the team’s three pillars.

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, foulds Clippers guard James Harden on a layup.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, foulds Clippers guard James Harden on a layup during their game Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Along with “championship shape,” Redick also asked his team to build “championship habits.” Living up to the mantras is easier said than done.

“It's not the easy choice,” Redick said. “It's human nature. … We do it on a daily basis. We make easy choices cause it's comfortable. Comfortable doesn't win.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.