Chris Paul of the Clippers tries to get around Portland’s Damian Lillard in Game 1 of their playoff series Sunday at Staples Center/AP photo by Jae C. Hong

Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers didn’t become the player he is today because his feathers get easily ruffled. Quite the contrary. He insists that in spite of his team’s rather lopsided losses to the Clippers in Games 1 and 2 of their first-round playoff series, he remains confident, as does his team.

“I mean, I don’t see why we should not have confidence,” Lillard said following his team’s 102-81 loss to the Clippers at Staples Center in Game 2 on Wednesday. “I think Game 1 (on Sunday) we were in the game  and then they had a stretch where they got on a run, we couldn’t score the ball and we just couldn’t close that gap for the rest of the game.

“Tonight, we took it a step further and the game was closer for a little bit longer than it was last game, and then the same thing happened. We went cold and they started to knock down shots.”

Now it’s Portland’s turn to play host as Games 3 and 4 are slated for Saturday and Monday at Moda Center in Portland.

“We’re not the first team to lose the first two on the road,” Lillard said. “Like I said, they took care of their home court and now we’re going to have the same opportunity. So we’ve got to put together four quarters for these next couple (of) games.”

The Trail Blazers trailed the Clippers 50-42 at halftime of Game 1, before being outscored 65-53 in the second half to lose 115-95.

Game 2 was closer for longer. as Portland was down by just six points (69-63) with 10 1/2 minutes to play before the Clippers turned it on and buried the Trail Blazers.

Lillard, Portland’s best player, has struggled with his shot the first two games. He scored 21 points on 7 of 17 shooting in Game 1 and he scored 17 points on 6 of 22 from the field in Game 2. He’s shooting a combined 33.3 percent (13 of 39).