SoCal NBA Preview

Washington (38-34) at LA Lakers (49-24), 6:30 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to bounce back after a pair of dismal home losses when they host the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

The Lakers endured an ugly 13-point loss Wednesday to the lowly Charlotte Bobcats, who are just 8-28 on the road this season, and dropped a 114-111 decision to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday despite a season-high 53 points from Kobe Bryant.

The 10-time All-Star Bryant made 19-of-37 shots from the field, including 9-of-17 from the arc, and eclipsed his own - and the NBA's - season high of 52 points set against the Dallas Mavericks on March 2. However, the rest of the supporting cast scored just 58 points as Los Angeles suffered its third loss in the last four games against the Grizzlies, who own the third-worst record (19-53) in the Western Conference. Bryant has scored at least 40 points six times this season and ranks second in the league scoring race, averaging 28 points per game.

Despite Bryant's tremendous play, the Lakers have fallen one game behind the New Orleans Hornets (49-22) and San Antonio Spurs (50-23) for first place in the Western Conference.

The Wizards (38-34) closed to within two games of the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (40-32) and home-court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference by erasing a 16-point second-half deficit to claim a 114-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Antawn Jamison had 25 points and 12 rebounds, DeShawn Stevenson shook off a first-half ankle sprain to score 15 of his 20 points and All-Star Caron Butler added 18 to key Washington's comeback.