The Los Angeles Lakers look to even their record on their six-game Grammy road trip, facing the Toronto Raptors on Sunday morning at Air Canada Centre. The Lakers are just 4-10 on the road this season, including 1-5 away from home against Eastern Conference teams. But they face a very beatable team in Toronto (9-19).
In 26 career games against Toronto, Kobe Bryant is averaging 27.9 points per game, and that isn't just skewed by the 81-point game against them in January 2006. In the 10 games against Toronto since scoring the second-most points ever in an NBA game, Kobe has averaged 29.7 points and the Lakers have won eight of the 10 matchups.
With their 92-85 loss on Friday night at Madison Square Garden to the New York Knicks, the Lakers fell to 2-3 on their road trip, which ends on Sunday. The offensive woes have returned for the Lakers as after they scored over 100 points in back-to-back wins against Minnesota and Charlotte, the Lakers have averaged just 88.6 points per game so far on the road trip.
The Raptors will be without leading scorer Andrea Bargnani, who will miss his 16th game with a strained left calf. Bargnani is averaging 23.5 points per game this year for Toronto. The Raptors were without Jerryd Bayless, who is averaging 17.0 points per game this year, on Friday against Boston, but the Raptors beat the Celtics anyway, 86-74. Bayless is listed as day-to-day with a sore left ankle.
The Lakers are 24-6 all-time against the Raptors, including 11-4 in Toronto. Los Angeles has won the last three meetings between the two teams, including a 120-110 road victory last season on December 19, 2010.
Sunday morning's 10 a.m. PST game will be televised by KCAL. For all things Lakers related, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.