Lakers fail to make grade

The mileage seemed to accrue all at once for the Lakers, who picked up another loss, their second in two nights, on their 13-day, 9,600-mile odyssey through the Eastern Conference.

They played slightly more inspired than they did a night earlier in Detroit but still fell to the improving Toronto Raptors, 96-92, Friday at Air Canada Centre.

Kobe Bryant missed a long three-point attempt in the closing seconds that would have tied the score, and, of greater long-term concern, Lamar Odom again looked a bit off-kilter.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson was moved enough to deliver a critical assessment of the team, an unexpected breakdown of the starters that took place outside a somber locker room. Fatigue has probably set in with one more game until the end of the Lakers’ longest trip since 1989, but Jackson matter-of-factly provided mini-reports of the players, even cutting off a reporter’s follow-up question so he could finish his thoughts.

The Lakers, who rallied from 12 points down in the fourth quarter to take a late lead, are 3-4 on the trip, with a chance to break even if they win Sunday in Cleveland.

Of the starters, Bryant had 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists Friday; Odom had 17 points and 12 rebounds but also five turnovers; Vladimir Radmanovic was scoreless in 12 minutes and was benched for all but the first three minutes of the second half; Andrew Bynum had two points in 19 minutes; Smush Parker had 18 points before fouling out.

“Lamar’s had disappointments,” Jackson said. “He’s been despondent in some of the play he’s had, some of the calls he’s gotten. Kobe right now is carrying the load for us, and he’s doing fine. ‘Drew’s struggling through some pain and he’s had tendinitis and as a consequence he’s had two games that are very lackluster, not inspired at all. Vlade’s had two stinkers. And Smush has had very up-and-down ballgames.”

Odom has not penetrated with the same success since returning from a sprained right knee that sidelined him for 21 games. He has shot poorly (39.7%) and made some mistakes: He failed to box out Anthony Parker with 12.8 seconds to play, allowing the Raptors guard to rebound Chris Bosh’s missed free throw and add another point after being sent to the line himself, giving the Raptors a three-point lead instead of a two-point edge.

“Whenever you hurt your knee in this game, it’s not like you’re going to come right back jumping, running the same,” Odom said. “My shot is short, off-balance. [I’m] not finishing the same way I was finishing at the rim. That’s going to take some time. It’s not an excuse for poor performance. As an athlete, the most frustrating thing is when you feel like your body betrays you a little bit.”

Jackson estimated that Odom was still only 80% to 85% healthy.

Bryant had a chance to tie the score at 95-95, but his three-point attempt with 1.9 seconds to play hit the front of the rim.

“Just a touch short,” Bryant said. “A touch short.”

Bynum, for his part, was not actively looking for his shot and passed the ball out of the post on many occasions. The tendinitis in his knees is not considered serious, but he has only seven points and nine rebounds the last two games.

Radmanovic had two points against Detroit, giving him a total of two in the last two games. He was also singled out as one of the league’s worst defenders in a national magazine story.

“Is he the only one?” Jackson said, smiling. “We’ve got about four or five on our team.”

The Lakers got a scare when Bryant was motionless on the court for several seconds with 7:28 left in the fourth quarter. He had been kicked in the back of his lower left leg but remained in the game after a timeout.

“We’ve just got to get a win on Sunday, break even on this trip and go home,” Bryant said. “Things could be worse.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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KEYS TO THE GAME

* Starters Vladimir Radmanovic and Andrew Bynum combined for two points on one-for-seven shooting in 31 minutes.

* The Raptors made a pristine nine of 19 shots (47.4%) from three-point range. The Lakers were nine for 27 (33.3%).

* Toronto forward Chris Bosh had 29 points on 12-for-16 shooting.

--MIKE BRESNAHAN