LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers try to avoid their first three-game losing streak in nearly 11 months as they host the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
The Lakers have not lost three straight since last December 17-20, when they fell to 10-18.
Los Angeles, which was without Shaquille O'Neal early last season as he underwent toe surgery, recovered from that skid and finished 50-32 before seeing its bid for a fourth straight NBA championship end with a loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Lakers opened this campaign with five straight wins before losing at New Orleans on Friday and at Memphis on Monday. The Lakers appeared fatigued in Friday's 114-95 loss at New Orleans and had 23 turnovers in Monday's 105-95 to the Grizzlies.
O'Neal led the Lakers with 20 points and 12 rebounds, Kobe Bryant added 19 and Karl Malone finished with 13 and nine rebounds. But the trio shot 38 percent (18-of-47) and committed 15 turnovers.
"We had a letdown," O'Neal said. "They just capitalized on our mistakes. We just had too many turnovers and too many stupid mistakes."
Toronto is 0-3 on the road after opening a three-game Western Conference trip with Tuesday's 83-80 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Vince Carter scored 33 points to lead the Raptors, who failed to scored more than 60 points in their previous two road games.
Carter shot 11-of-23, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc as Toronto shot 41 percent (29-of-70).
Toronto has not scored more than 90 points this season.
Los Angeles leads the all-time series, 11-3.
