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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.Cheap Buffalo Sabres Jerseys China . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Cheap Boston Bruins Jerseys China . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. http://www.cheaphockeychina.com/ . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. NHL Jerseys Outlet .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. Cheap Arizona Coyotes Jerseys China .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night.STILLWATER, Okla. -- For the second straight year, No. 11 Oklahoma State heads into its regular-season finale against its in-state rival, No. 7 Oklahoma, with a chance to claim the Big 12 title.Last year, Oklahoma State was missing several key starters because of injuries, with quarterback Mason Rudolph hardly playing, and wound up losing 58-23 on its home field. Oklahoma claimed the Big 12 championship and advanced to the College Football Playoff.This time, coming off their most complete performance of the season, a 31-6 win over TCU on Nov. 19, followed by a bye week, the Cowboys (9-2, 7-1 Big 12, No. 10 CFP) are well-rested and determined to finish the job Saturday at Oklahoma (9-2, 8-0, No. 7 CFP).Were a healthier football team now, not only physically but mentally, OSU coach Mike Gundy said. We were a little bit beat up at this time last season. These guys, hopefully, weve instilled in them the importance of whether you have a tough loss or a big win, you have to continue to move forward. I think the biggest factor is were healthy and were in a position to practice at the pace that we need to practice in order to play at a high level.For the players, knowing that the Big 12 title is on the line brings out different mental approaches. One is to ignore the consequences of the result and just go out and play.We just look at it as any other game, try not to get too caught up in the hype or the emotions of it, said senior running back Chris Carson, who rushed 17 times for 146 yards and a touchdown against TCU. But this is great, playing for a Big 12 championship for the second year and hopefully looking for different results this year.Another mindset is to embrace the importance of the game and enjoy the high-stakes aspect of it.This is what you want as a senior, to be in a game with the Big 12 championship on the line, said tight end/fullback hybrid Blake Jarwin, who has 16 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown this season. Its a new opportunity to go and maybe get a Big 12 championship. Im excited to go out there.As painfful as it was seeing the Sooners celebrate on their field last season, the Oklahoma State players point out that the motivation to win is not really about returning the favor.ddddddddddddIts not really a revenge factor, its done, but its really more of a learning experience, junior linebacker Chad Whitener said. Watching film from last year, really going back and studying, seeing what they did right and what we did wrong.Not necessarily revenge, but we know that we lost it last year, and we want to win, added Carson, who gained 38 yards on seven carries in last seasons showdown. Thats just the motivation -- it doesnt matter who we play, we just want to win the Big 12 championship.Saturdays game between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma marks the sixth time in the last nine seasons that the annual matchup known as Bedlam will determine the Big 12 champion.Besides last years game, a 33-24 Oklahoma win in 2013 prevented Oklahoma State from claiming the title and allowed Baylor to emerge as champion. In 2011, Oklahoma State defeated the Sooners 44-10 to win its only Big 12 championship and deny OU a share of the title.In 2010, Oklahomas 47-41 victory prevented the Cowboys from advancing to the Big 12 championship game, and in 2008, OUs 61-41 win enabled it to advance to the Big 12 title game.Gundy is proud that the annual in-state battle between the rivals has become such an important game on the national college football landscape.You have schools that are having fantastic seasons, have very exciting players, and give the state a lot to think about, Gundy said. We have 4 million people here in the state and its a big game. When they put up the college football standings and you have Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in the top 10, thats a tremendous financial advantage, marketing, for both universities in the state of Oklahoma.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '