Dein erstes Forum » some very tough sessions, work

HOUSTON -- One night after struggling to contain one of the highest scoring guards in the NBA, the Rockets will get a second chance to shore up their defense when Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard pays a visit to Toyota Center on Thursday night.Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, Thunder guard Russell Westbrook torched Houston (6-5) for 30 points, seven rebounds and nine assists in a 105-103 Thunder victory. Westbrook entered the game second in the NBA in scoring (32 points per game) and assists (9.9), and pacing the NBA in usage rate at 41.4 percent.Lillard brings similar credentials, ranking fifth in scoring (29.8 points) and eighth in usage rate at 32.6 percent. But for all the success Westbrook had on Wednesday night and the potential for a similar eruption when they play host to Portland (7-5), the Rockets stumbled against the Thunder because their offense collapsed in the fourth quarter again.Houston has struggled with pace, scoring and shooting percentage in the fourth quarter this season and those issues were at the forefront of their loss to Oklahoma City. The Rockets posted just 13 points in the final period and were held scoreless between a Clint Capela dunk with 6:26 remaining and an Eric Gordon 3-pointer just prior to the buzzer. They missed nine consecutive shots during that stretch, adding to what has been a prevailing problem for an offense that oftentimes scores at will.We have that problem a little bit, Rockets coach Mike DAntoni said of holding the ball too long down the stretch of close games. I thought we got good shots. It might not have been your classic move the ball, move the ball, move the ball but I thought we had some looks. The 3s they had looks at we had them and they made them and we missed them. Sometimes it just comes down to youve got to make shots and we just didnt do it.The Trail Blazers issues are defense and rebounding. They entered Wednesday 29th in scoring defense (111.2 points per game) and 27th in defensive rating. The Bulls ravaged Portland on Tuesday night while rolling to a 113-88 victory at Moda Center, finishing plus-18 on the glass. Chicago managed 19 offensive boards, par for the course with Portland ranking 29th in defensive rebounding rate at 72.3 percent.Our defensive rebounding is a concern, Portland coach Terry Stotts said. Its addressed and weve got to get better and focus on it.Similar to the Rockets, Portland leans on offensive might to carry the weight most nights. The Trail Blazers trailed 13-2 before recording their first basket with 6:48 left in the first quarter against the Bulls and were down 17 when someone other than C.J. McCollum scored a basket.Yet for all the concerns over defense and rebounding, the NBA remains a make-or-miss league. When the Rockets and Portland make shots, particularly from the perimeter, they are difficult for any defense to slow. When they dont, whether in the first or fourth quarter, problems arise.Were not a paint team. We rely on 3s, we rely on penetration, Stotts said. When youre struggling offensively in the first quarter there are going to be a lot of bloated numbers across the board. Dries Mertens Jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. 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Melbourne Victory needed a week off and will be fully recharged for Saturday nights home A-League clash with the injury-ravaged Newcastle Jets, star attacker James Troisi says.Victory were scheduled to take on Wellington Phoenix on the weekend but the fixture was postponed after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck New Zealand, causing some minor damage to Westpac Stadium.The match is yet to be rescheduled, with Victory fifth on the ladder with a game in hand.Troisi, who made his return from a fractured collarbone in the 3-0 win over Western Sydney the week before, said theyve made the most of the break.We needed it, he said on Tuesday.We trained hard during the week, which very rarely we get to do.All our GPS scores were through the roof.We had some very tough sessions, worked on a lot, but were well-refreshed now and looking forward to the game on the weekend.Kevin Muscats men willl be warm favourites to account for the Jets, whose injury problems show no sign of abating.dddddddddddd.Former Victory winger Andrew Nabbout is the latest to have been struck down, and will reportedly miss the next four weeks due to an ankle injury.On Monday, striker Aleksandr Kokko had surgery on a fractured draw that will also put him out for up to a month.Thats on top of injures to defenders Nigel Boogaard (knee), Daniel Mullen (knee) and Lachlan Jackson (ankle), while goalkeeper Ben Kennedy (Achilles) and Daniel Alessi (knee) are out for the season.Troisi, however, insists Melbourne wont take them lightly.Weve watched the Jets a little bit and when theyre on, theyre on as well, he said.We take very team the same and approach every game the same. 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