Trail Blazers talk about loss to Clippers

Feb 12, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) battle for the ball in the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 122-117. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 12, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) battle for the ball in the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 122-117. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 12, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) battle for the ball in the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 122-117. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 12, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) battle for the ball in the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 122-117. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

After the Portland Trail Blazers were outlasted by the Los Angeles Clippers last night 122-117, LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lilard and coach Terry Stotts talked to the media about the loss and heading into the All-Star break in a two-game skid.

LaMarcus Aldridge on heading into the break:

“It‟s definitely not the way we wanted to end it. We definitely wanted to be on better terms going into the break. But one thing about it is that we took care of business early. I knew there was going to be ups and downs this season, so luckily we put that cushion early where we’re still number three or number four in the West.”

On tonight’s game:

“They made plays, we made plays. And then they just made more plays down the stretch. They got some key steals down the stretch and they forced us to take some tough shots down the stretch.”

Damian Lillard on the play of the Clippers:

“I think they played well as a whole. I don‟t think there was one guy who did everything for them. Other guys had to make plays for Blake Griffin to get open jumpers and to get dunks. Guys set good screens for Chris Paul to come off of, to do what he does off pick-and-rolls. They did well as a team. We lost to two good games, we played two good games. And we just weren’t able to pull either game out.”

Coach Stotts on tonight’s game:

“Both teams played well again, obviously it was an offensive game. Both teams executed really well offensively, made passes, made shots. It’s frustrating to play another good game against a top-tier team and come up short. The competition was great. It was a possession-by-possession game.”