:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5094883/20121212_hcs_sy4_034.0.jpg)
The Philadelphia 76ers will look to avoid losing three straight for the fifth time this season Sunday when they host the struggling Los Angeles Lakers at the Wells Fargo Center (6 p.m. ET on Comcast SportsNet).
The Sixers (12-11) have lost five of their past seven games, but their struggles aren't as bad as the Lakers' (10-14), who just ended a five-game skid with a 102-96 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday.
Los Angeles will be ending a four-game East Coast road trip, which featured losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks.
Despite its recent struggles, Philadelphia is off to its second-best start to a season dating back to 2003-04. After Sunday's contest the Sixers will hit the road for 10 of their next 11 games.
Guard Jrue Holiday's 18.4 points per game paces Philadelphia, which also features forward Thaddeus Young (15.0 ppg), forward Evan Turner (15.4 ppg) and guard Jason Richardson (11.7) scoring in double figures.
The Lakers are led by the NBA leading scorer, Kobe Bryant, who's averaging 29.3 ppg.