Damian Lillard Comments on Trail Blazers' Play After Loss vs. Rockets

Following a 126-109 loss on the road to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard was highly critical of the team's performance. 

According to Jason Quick of CSNNW.com, the two-time All-Star didn't mince words in reference to Portland's struggles: "We kind of suck right now. It's that simple."

Lillard expanded on the issues the Blazers are facing, and he made it clear that effort isn't among the team's problems: "We've been bad on offense, bad on defense...we are trying hard but we are not always making the smartest plays. We just not very good right now."

Portland is off to an uneven start at 7-6, but that record is good for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference as of Friday.

Expectations were high for the Blazers entering 2016-17, however, as they surprised many by going 44-38 and advancing to the second round of the playoffs last season.

Lillard's play hasn't been the issue thus far, as he is averaging a career-high 28.8 points per game to go along with 5.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists.

The 26-year-old veteran and guard C.J. McCollum haven't received much offensive support from their teammates, as Maurice Harkless is the only other player averaging double figures in scoring.

Despite Portland's lack of consistency, Lillard believes staying the course is important in terms of breaking out of a slump that has seen it drop two in a row and three of its past five games:

"

Usually when things like this happen, you've got to keep fighting, stay with it. It's important for our team to stay together and I think that's one of the biggest strengths of our team — we stay together. If we try to stay positive and keep working and fighting, at some point it will click, and we will get it right.

"

The schedule can either be a team's friend or foe, and the former appears to be true for the Blazers, as a date with the last-place New Orleans Pelicans is on tap for Friday.

Although Portland isn't off to an ideal start, it is a young, talented team with a legitimate superstar in Lillard, so the odds are seemingly in favor of it righting the ship as the campaign progresses.

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