The Los Angeles Lakers started a four-game road trip on Monday against the Orlando Magic badly needing a win to stop their recent skid. They had lost six of their last nine games, and their defense, which had been outstanding ever since late January, has shown signs of slippage.

On Wednesday, the Lakers won a thriller over the Pacers thanks to a LeBron James buzzer-beating tip-in basket. On Thursday, they lost to the Bulls on a 45-foot shot by Josh Giddey in the final seconds of the game.

The Chicago Bulls are hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night for a huge cross-conference matchup. The Lakers recently snapped a three-game losing streak due to a buzzer-beating game-winner from LeBron James to beat the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night,