Lakers return home from grueling road trip with surging Sixers waiting

With their grueling annual winter trip behind them, the Los Angeles Lakers will not get a chance to ease into familiar surroundings as the surging Philadelphia 76ers come to town Thursday.

The Lakers went 5-3 as they vacated their home arena for the Grammy Awards, although the long-awaited return of guard Austin Reaves on Tuesday was a reason to feel revived.

Out since Christmas Day, Reaves returned from a calf injury by scoring 15 points off the bench in 21 minutes of a 125-109 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.