The Los Angeles Lakers are struggling at the defensive end while dropping five in a row and are about to embark on a four-game Eastern Conference road trip. The Lakers will try to snap their slide and avenge an earlier loss when they kick off the trip by visiting the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

The Phoenix Suns fought their way to a 2-4 road trip but lost more than just a game when star shooting guard Devin Booker went down with a strained left adductor in a 126-113 setback at Toronto on Tuesday. The Suns hope to have Booker available when they host another high-scoring shooting guard in Bradley Beal with the Washington Wizards on Thursday.

The NBA moves south of the border when the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Brooklyn Nets in Mexico City on Thursday. The Thunder are winners of three in a row while the Nets began their trek south with a convincing road win at Atlanta on Monday.

The Houston Rockets own the best record in the Western Conference and are winners of seven in a row as they fire away from 3-point range and race past opponents. The Utah Jazz, who host the Rockets on Thursday, occasionally look like a team capable of challenging Houston but struggle to find their highest gear with consistency.