The Lakers host Toronto with a turnover problem and the worst rebounding rate in the league

The Los Angeles Lakers are 4-2 and back at home on Sunday against a Toronto team that is 3-2 and fourth in the Eastern Conference, and the matchup is less about star power than about two specific weaknesses meeting.

The Lakers' most recent game was a loss to Golden State in which they committed a season-high 20 turnovers, eight of them from Austin Reaves.

They responded the next night by beating the Clippers, which is the version of this team that has produced a 4-2 record.

Toronto arrives on the second half of its own early-season rhythm: a defensive team that creates turnovers and runs.

The Raptors enter with the third-best defense in the NBA and rank second in steals, and their transition game is above average.

That combination is the worst possible fit for a Lakers team that just turned the ball over 20 times. Toronto does not need a half-court offense to score if the Lakers hand it easy possessions.

The Raptors' scoring comes from Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and Barnes is coming off a 41-point outing.

Toronto's own injury list is the reason this is a winnable game for Los Angeles. Kawhi Leonard is out with a left knee issue, and Nate Bittle is out with a right avulsion fracture.

That is also why Los Angeles' first quarter matters more than usual. Falling behind by double digits against Toronto turns the game into a transition drill.

The Lakers' numbers are the more surprising part of the matchup. Through six games they rank last in the league in rebounds, which is a problem against a team that wants to run.

Rebounding is usually a effort stat, and the Lakers have been below average on both ends. Against Toronto, a second-chance possession is also a transition possession waiting to happen.

The offensive side has been fine. The Lakers have two players who can create a shot late in the clock, and the Clippers win showed what the offense looks like when the turnovers stay under control.

The question for Sunday is whether the ball-handling improves against pressure. Toronto's guards will pick up full court, and the Lakers' answers in the last game were not encouraging.

Los Angeles' injury report has one piece of good news. Cameron Carr, who had been listed with a right oblique strain, is no longer on it.

Adou Thiero remains out with left knee injury management, and Ziaire Williams is questionable with left foot injury management.

For Toronto, Leonard's absence changes the defensive math. Without him, the Raptors' best perimeter defender is not available to take the Lakers' primary ball-handler.

Neither team is at full strength, which is normal for the first week of November and makes the matchup a test of depth rather than star power.

The tactical question is simple: can the Lakers force Toronto to play in the half court? The Raptors' offense is less reliable there, and their transition points come from exactly the mistakes Los Angeles has been making.

The counter is on the glass. If the Lakers rebound, Toronto has to inbound and play five-on-five, and the Raptors' half-court offense becomes ordinary.

The other counter is Reaves. He had eight of the 20 turnovers against Golden State, and Toronto will test him again with ball pressure.

Los Angeles does not need to win this game with offense. It needs to avoid losing it with giveaways.

The last time these two teams were in this position, the game was decided by pace rather than shooting. Toronto wants a possession count in the high nineties; the Lakers have been better in games played in the low nineties.

There is also a rest angle. The Lakers played Friday and won Saturday, while Toronto has had a day to prepare, and the Raptors' defensive scheme is the kind that benefits from a walkthrough.

The stakes are modest in November but real for both teams. A fifth win in seven games would be the Lakers' best start in several seasons, and a fourth win would keep Toronto near the top of the East.

The bigger question for Los Angeles is identity. The team has been good when it controls tempo and poor when it does not, and Toronto is built to take tempo away.

For Toronto, the test is whether a defense-first team can score enough on the road against a team with two high-usage scorers.

Both answers will be visible by the fourth quarter.

The Lakers stay home for a back-to-back against Miami after this one, which makes Sunday the softer of the two games on paper.

Toronto's schedule continues with a trip through the West, so a road win here would matter more than the record suggests.

Neither team has played a full-strength opponent yet, and neither is at full strength now.

Sunday’s game will be decided by which of the two weaknesses shows up first: the Lakers’ giveaways or the Raptors’ half-court offense.