NBA: Luka Doncic to return for Lakers on Christmas

Los Angeles Lakers fans will have one Christmas wish come to fruition when star guard Luka Doncic returns from a calf injury to play against the Houston Rockets on Thursday, according to an ESPN report.

Doncic departed early from a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday with a lower leg contusion. He then missed Tuesday's 132-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns, leaving Los Angeles with consecutive defeats for the first time this season.

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Doncic's final game with the Dallas Mavericks. He departed early from Dallas' loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a calf strain then never played again for his original franchise. He was traded to the Lakers in February.

Doncic helped the Lakers into the playoffs last season and went on a scoring surge to start this season while fellow star LeBron James was out of action. Doncic leads the NBA with 34.1 points per game, while adding 8.8 assists and 8.6 rebounds.

Over eight NBA seasons, the five-time All-Star and 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year has averaged 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists over 471 games (all starts) for the Mavericks and Lakers.

-Field Level Media/Reuters