(REUTERS) - The Los Angeles Lakers will try to avoid starting 0-3 for only the second time in their LeBron James era.

They are scheduled to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday (Oct 24) evening, two nights after losing their second straight NBA game. They dropped their season opener to the visiting Golden State Warriors, and then lost another home game on Friday to the Phoenix Suns.

The Grizzlies are off to a 2-0 start after holding on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-114 on Saturday night at Staples Centre. The Grizzlies won their season opener against the visiting Cavaliers 132-121 on Wednesday.

Memphis point guard Ja Morant has poured in 65 points in the first two games on 27-for-48 shooting.

"He watches a lot of film," Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said of Morant. "He understands where there are so many great growth opportunities."

Morant's contributions have been welcoming, but not as surprising as the 42 points De'Anthony Melton has combined for on 17-for-30 from the floor.

Los Angeles lost their first three games to start the 2018-19 season and then failed to make the play-offs in their first year with James, who had won National Basketball Association titles with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 0-2 start by the Lakers follows an 0-6 pre-season and comes nearly five months after they dropped the final three games of their first-round play-off series against the Suns.

"We're going to get it together. There's no doubt in my mind," Lakers backup centre Dwight Howard said. "You got to crawl before you walk."

He played only nine minutes in the 115-105 loss to the Suns on Friday night, but he was a main figure in the storyline after clashing with teammate Anthony Davis during a timeout late in the first half. Howard and Davis each said the issue has been put to rest, but Howard did not play in the second half.

"We're good," Davis said. "Just two guys that are competitive and want to win games."

In another game on Saturday, an overwhelming defensive effort powered the hosts Chicago Bulls to their first 3-0 start in five years after a 97-82 win over the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls held the Pistons to just 15 points in the second quarter, then 11 in the third, to build a commanding lead despite enduring their own shooting woes.

Six Bulls scored in double figures, led by DeMar DeRozan's game-high 21 points.

Elsewhere, Ricky Rubio scored 23 points and lifted Cleveland to its first win of the season, a 101-95 victory over visiting Atlanta.

Khris Middleton scored 28 points, among all five starters in double figures, as champions Milwaukee played their best in the final quarter to beat weary hosts San Antonio 121-111.

The game was the second of a road-home back-to-back for the Spurs, who flew home early on Saturday morning after a loss in Denver on Friday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo added 21 points for the Bucks, who rebounded from a blowout loss in Miami on Thursday to move to 2-1. Jrue Holiday and Pat Connaughton hit for 16 points each.

Luka Doncic compiled 27 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds as visiting Dallas defeated Toronto 103-95, while C.J. McCollum scored 28 points, including knocking down six three-pointers as hosts Portland cruised past Phoenix 134-105.

Meanwhile, Lakers swingman Austin Reaves may have earned additional playing time with his play late in the game against the Suns.

Reaves made his team debut with the Lakers trailing 94-67 at the start of the fourth quarter and scored 12 points on 3-for-4 shooting from three-point distance, helping make the final score appear more respectable.

Reaves opted to go undrafted in June and signed a two-way contract with the Lakers instead.

He impressed enough to make the team out of training camp and took advantage of his first opportunity with the Lakers.

"We're learning about our team," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. "We gave some of the other wings the first chance. (They) weren't getting much done as a group in the first three quarters and, as a coach, when you're down big, you try to change the game with a small lineup and a different guy at the wing.

And Austin came in and played really well."

Reaves could eat away at Avery Bradley's minutes after the veteran shooting guard did not record a stat in 21 minutes against the Suns, becoming the 11th player in NBA history to play at least 20 minutes and not record a stat.