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The Portland Trail Blazers seem determined to improve their defensive performance, beginning Wednesday night with a home date against the Indiana Pacers.On Monday, 12 hours after a 130-114 drubbing by the Houston Rockets, the Trail Blazers began to lay the foundation with a video session and a spirited practice focused on defense.This is the first time weve had a real practice in what seems like forever, point guard Damian Lillard said. It was good for us to try to sharpen up, (to have) coaches challenge us.Its to the point now where our pride has to kick in. We have to show how much we actually care about ... being better defensively.The Rockets scorched the Blazers with 56.1 percent shooting, including 47.2 percent (17 for 36) from 3-point range. Portland owns the worst defensive efficiency rating in the NBA (109.80) and is giving up more points (113.7) than any team in the league other than Brooklyn (114.0).The Blazers (9-10) are tired of talking about getting better at the defensive end.We keep preaching it, but its getting old, guard Allen Crabbe said. At some point, it has to click. We keep telling ourselves we have to get better, but at some point, we have to get it going.The Blazers are one of the better offensive teams in the NBA, but they have trouble stopping anybody. Cleveland blitzed them for 137 points, Golden State for 127, Houston for 126 and 130, even Phoenix for 121.We scored 125 points against Cleveland, Lillard said. Thats a lot of points to score and not win a game. Right now, were not getting it done on the defensive end. Thats what it comes down to.Were going to put points on the board, but we have to find a way to get better at coming up with more stops. If (an opponents) execution gets harder, the (shooting) percentage is going to go down. We have to make them more uncomfortable more consistently.Indiana, meanwhile, begins a five-game road trip coming off impressive back-to-back routs at home of the Brooklyn Nets (118-97) and the Los Angeles Clippers (91-70). The wins were achieved without the services of star forward Paul George, who has missed six of the past seven games -- and will also sit out Wednesdays contest -- with ankle and back injuries.The Pacers also emphasize defense, led by point guard Jeff Teague, who ranks fourth in the NBA in steals at 2.11 per game.I have to be aggressive defensively and do my best to ignite and get guys going by pressuring the ball, Teague told the media. Everything else will take care of itself. (The last two games) were moving the ball better, guys are making shots and guys are playing with confidence.Coach Nate McMillan is striving for consistency in both effort and performance.We talked about not taking steps back, McMillan said. Weve played some good games, and then you cant recognize the team the next game. We need to build some momentum at this point in the season.McMillan has been impressed with the work of 20-year-old center Myles Turner, who averaged 16.5 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots the last two games going up against Brook Lopez and DeAndre Jordan.Hey, welcome to the center position in the NBA: (Atlantas) Dwight Howard to Brook to Jordan the last three games, McMillan said. Theyre big, powerful guys. (Turner) is still developing and growing into that position, defending the basket. Hes working. Thats the one thing he brings to the floor every night. Cheap NBA Jerseys Store . 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While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. No. 21 Utah could be down to its sixth-string running back, a week after inserting a fourth-stringer at center.Utah lost running back Armand Shyne to a season-ending knee injury last week, and his replacement, walk-on Jordan Howard, wont play Saturday at Oregon State because of an undisclosed injury. Next up could be redshirt freshman Marcel Manalo, true freshman Devontae Henry-Cole (who has not yet played) or a player moved from another position.At least theres a chance that running back Zack Moss (309 rushing yards) could return mostly healthy for the game at Reser Stadium, starting at 4 p.m. ET.This is the worst I can remember and Ive been here a lot of years, 12th-year Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said of the injuries. I cant remember this many injuries.Utah (5-1, 2-1) has still managed to find itself in a three-way tie for first-place in the Pac-12 South with Colorado and Arizona State. Oregon State (2-3, 1-1) ended a 12-game conference losing streak Saturday with a 47-44 overtime home victory over Cal.Can you grow from that? Boy, you better, Oregon State coach Gary Andersen said. You absolutely should grow from that moment.We have to understand that is what youre supposed to do, win football games. It should give them an understanding of what it takes to win in the Pac-12. Its a great win, but we still have lots of work to do.The Utes have been playing with fire by falling behind so early, given its injury situation. They were down 24-10 to USC before rallying for a 31-27 victory. They trailed Cal 14-0 in the first quarter and lost 28-23. They fell behind 14-3 to Arizona last week but came back for a 36-23 victory.Were a pretty decent football team if we stop some of the self-inflicted stuff, said Whittingham, who reached 100 career victories last week. We do some things to create tough situations for ourselves. And weve got to get those fixed.Oregon State rushed for 474 yards in last weeks victory over Cal, when running back Ryan Nall became the eighth player in school history to rush for more than 200 yards in a game. He finished with 221 on just 14 carries. Art Pierce and speedy Paul Lucas are reliable backups who will also be needed against a Utah defense that is 24th nationally againstt the run, allowing 119.dddddddddddd0 yards per game.As for Utahs running game, the depletion in the backfield -- which includes the early season retirement of Joe Williams -- is exacerbated by the injuries at center. The Utes, without standout center J.J. Dielman for the rest of the season because of a foot injury, started fourth-stringer Nick Nowakowski last week against Arizona. Utah committed nine false start penalties.Whittingham partially blamed that on Arizonas defense mimicking the snap count, although Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez called that an empty accusation. In any case, Utah will look this week in practice to see if senior offensive linemen Isaac Asiata or Sam Tevi can handle the center position.Nick Nowakowski didnt play poorly but we want to get the five best guys out there, Whittingham said. If theres a better combination, Im interested in that.It has all put more pressure on quarterback Troy Williams, who has not thrown an interception in 106 passes in three Pac-12 games. His season completion percentage of 58.3 is something he is working on, but at least he is not putting Utah in trouble. Leading receiver Tim Patrick, who has caught five of Williams seven touchdown passes, missed the Arizona game but has a high probability of playing Saturday, according to Whittingham.Oregon State held Cal quarterback Davis Webb to 113 passing yards, well below his average of 428.6 entering the game. Cornerback Xavier Crawford had 10 tackles and broke up three passes.Beavers quarterback Darell Garretson was just 13 of 24 for 85 yards, with two interceptions, in the win over Cal, when OSU was saved by its running game. The Beavers, who dont have a reception of longer than 20 yards in the past two games, will find that strategy harder to implement against a stout Utah front, led by potential first-round defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei.They have really good run schemes with a lot of misdirection and fly sweeps, Whittingham said of the Oregon State run game. They have a whole arsenal in their repertoire. Thats the main thing, trying to stop them running the football. ' ' '