Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard offered a blunt assessment of his team after Thursday nights 126-109 loss to the Houston Rockets.We kind of suck right now, he told reporters. Its that simple.The loss was Portlands second straight, following Tuesday nights 113-88 home loss to the Chicago Bulls, and dropped the Blazers record to 7-6, putting them squarely in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference.Thursdays performance also continued a disturbing trend for the team, which has allowed 111.3 points per game, second worst in the NBA. The Blazers rank 27th in the league in defensive efficiency (107.3), which measures the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions.On Thursday, after entering halftime tied at 62, the Blazers were outscored 38-21 in the third quarter. Houstons James Harden finished with 26 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds for his third triple-double of the season.Were just not very good right now, said Lillard, who ranks fourth in the league with 28.8 points per game. Weve just got to keep fighting. Its important for our team to stay together, and I think thats one of the biggest strengths of our team, is we stay together. If we try to stay positive, and we just keep working and keep fighting, I think at some point itll click.Well get it right, and things will be fine. But I think everybodys frustrated.The Blazers are off to an up-and-down start after finishing 44-38 last season and advancing to the second round of the playoffs, where they fell 4-1 to the?Golden State Warriors. Theyll look to turn things around Friday in the second game of a back-to-back at New Orleans.We cant get no worse, right? forward?Evan Turner said. Its got to go somewhere. Obviously, communication just has to pick up. As a unit, we just have to be accountable and, once again, draw the line with stuff. Just continue to take it more personal and draw the line. Wayne Hunter Jersey Online . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Darryl Williams Jersey Online . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. https://www.cheapjerseysatwholesale.com/ . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Bob Friedlund Jersey Online . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Cheap Jerseys Authentic . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. CHASKA, Minn. -- Davis Love III said he was only trying to illustrate why his U.S. team should play with more swagger in the Ryder Cup. His comments wound up providing plenty of fodder for the Europeans, and perhaps a little extra motivation they didnt even need.The catch phrase for this Ryder Cup: Best golf team maybe ever assembled.Thats what Love said in a radio interview last week. Rory McIlroy seized on it last weekend, joking that the Americans at least had the best Ryder Cup Task Force ever assembled. He couldnt help but mention it again on Tuesday before the first practice session at Hazeltine.Whenever we are going up against one of the greatest teams ever assembled, thats motivation enough, McIlroy said.Adding to the bulletin-board material was NBC Sports analyst Johnny Miller saying Europe had the worst team he had seen in years, particularly with six rookies.The record shows otherwise.Europe has won eight of the last 10 times in the Ryder Cup dating to 1995, and while there are six players who have never experienced the emotions and pressure of the Ryder Cup, only four Europeans on the team know the feeling of losing.At the end of the day, you dont win the Ryder Cups with your mouth, Sergio Garcia said. You win them out there on the golf course. So thats what well see, which team is the best.Love said the conversation on SiriusXM Radio last Friday was misconstrued. He said a Canadian caller had said the Americans needed to play with more swagger, and Love agreed with him. He said the host asked what he would tell his team.And I said: `I would tell my team theyre the best team ever assembled. Lets go out and show off and play and have fun, Love said.It didnt quite come out that way.Love said on the radio show that Americans have been guilty of playing not to lose, and that they need to smash the tee shot, walk quickly to the golf ball and let the other team know that we are going to dominate you. He talked about having confidence and how the Americans didnt need to do anything super human.This is a great team, he said. This is the best golf team maybe ever assembled.European captain Darren Clarke said he didnt need to post anything on the walls of the team room. His players heard the comment, some of them laughed about it, none appear to have foorgotten.ddddddddddddClarke seemed more defensive about Millers comments.We have the Masters champion (Danny Willet), we have The Open champion (Henrik Stenson), we have the Olympic champion (Justin Rose) and we have the FedEx champion (McIlroy). You combine that with all the experience and with all of the rest of the team and the way those guys played, I dont really need to respond to that, Clarke said. I think Ive got full confidence in our team.Based on the how Europe practiced on Tuesday, it appears that Clarke is blending experience with rookies. He had Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood with rookies Rafa Cabrera Bello and Willett; Stenson and Rose with rookies Matt Fitzpatrick and Thomas Pieters; and McIlroy and Garcia with rookies Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan.The Americans are back to their pod system that Paul Azinger used in a rare victory in 2008 and Love modified in 2012. Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar were in one group; Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker were in another. Both groups featured previous partnerships. The last group included the lone rookies -- Ryan Moore and Brooks Koepka -- with J.B. Holmes and Brandt Snedeker.Neither side really needs any motivation, though Spieth suggested the most powerful type.Were tired of being told we havent won, he said.Love said he brought Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, to speak to his team on Monday night. Clarke countered with Paul OConnell, the recently retired Irish rugby star. The message Clarke wants to deliver this week is for Europe to stand shoulder to shoulder.Love had the Americans on the verge of victory at Medinah, leading 10-6 going into the final session until they were overwhelmed by Europe and lost again. Only five players were on that 2012 team -- Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Snedeker and Kuchar.Weve got a different team, and thats what I keep telling this team, Love said. Dont look to the past. This team has never played together before. This team has no history. They are a great team.Best ever assembled? He wont know that until someone is holding the gold cup on Sunday. ' ' '