PORTLAND, Ore. — Shocked by the arrest of head coach Chauncey Billups in a sprawling alleged poker scheme, the Portland Path Blazers took to the court docket Friday evening underneath an interim coach as they navigated an unexpectedly tumultuous begin to the brand new season.
Billups and Miami Warmth participant Terry Rozier have been amongst these arrested Thursday for what federal regulation enforcement officers described as their involvement in varied illicit playing actions. Billups was charged with collaborating in a conspiracy to repair high-stakes card video games.
The 49-year-old coach was arrested at his Lake Oswego dwelling earlier than daybreak on Thursday, simply hours after the Blazers misplaced their season opener at dwelling to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The temper was somber within the Blazers’ locker room earlier than Friday evening’s sport towards the Golden State Warriors. Few gamers needed to speak.
“It isn’t a simple state of affairs. We’re excited about him and his household,” ahead Deni Avdija mentioned. “We actually love Chauncey and what he is completed for this group. I do not know the small print and I do not actually need to get into that. I am making an attempt to give attention to the sport.”
The NBA positioned Billups and Rozier on go away following their arrests and the Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA participant Tiago Splitter interim head coach.
Splitter spoke to the media earlier than the sport towards the Warriors and was peppered with questions concerning the staff’s temper upon studying of the arrest.
“Not nice, not nice. However like I mentioned, we have got to maneuver ahead, we have a job to do,” Splitter mentioned. “We have now a fantastic alternative in entrance of us to have a great season with this staff and I am enthusiastic about that.”
Splitter, 40, joined Billups’ workers in June. A 6-foot-11 middle from Brazil, Splitter performed seven years within the NBA with San Antonio, Atlanta and Philadelphia earlier than formally retiring from basketball in 2018. He gained an NBA championship in 2014 with the Spurs.
He beforehand served as head coach for Paris Basketball within the high French league for one season after a stint as an assistant for the Houston Rockets.
Billups’ arrest got here as the brand new season opened with optimistic buzz surrounding the staff.
The Blazers had cultivated a core of promising younger stars, together with Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Toumani Camara. Additionally they introduced again beloved guard Damian Lillard, who performed his first 11 seasons in Portland earlier than making an attempt unsuccessfully to chase a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks for 2 seasons.
Beloved in Portland, Lillard wasn’t anticipated to play this season whereas he rehabs an Achilles harm, however he was feted with a standing ovation on the season opener and has mentioned he’ll assist mentor the staff’s younger expertise.
“I used to be shocked. Shocked. I feel everyone was,” mentioned fan Mitch Weaver, who was at Friday’s sport sporting a Path Blazers sweatshirt. “We had Dame again. All the pieces was wanting up.”
The uncertainty of the staff’s future was settled within the offseason when the property of late proprietor Paul Allen struck a deal to promote the staff to a bunch led by Carolina Hurricanes proprietor Tom Dundon, who vowed to maintain the staff in Portland.
Billups was charged with being concerned in a poker scheme that federal officers mentioned cheated victims out of not less than $7 million. Billups was one among 31 folks arrested on the poker-related expenses, and a few of these arrested have been, in accordance with officers, members of three Mafia households.
Final season Billups guided the staff to a 36-46 report however Portland missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season. He signed a multi-year contract extension in April and was embarking on his fifth season with the staff.
Billups had an NBA taking part in profession that spanned 17 seasons. He gained a championship with Detroit in 2004 and was named the finals MVP. A five-time All-Star, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Corridor of Fame final October.