Chauncey Billups‘ first season as an NBA head coach hasn’t been anything like he anticipated, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Portland is reeling with a 16-25 record amid a series of injuries and players in the health and safety protocols that has left Billups with a constantly changing lineup.
Six rotation players were missing from Thursday’s loss at Denver, although the situation should begin to improve with the expected return of CJ McCollum on Monday. The Blazers also had to deal with 0ffcourt turmoil as Chris McGown resigned as president and CEO and Neil Olshey was fired as president of basketball operations following an investigation into workplace conditions.
“This year has been unbelievable,” Billups said before Thursday’s game. “We’re 40 games in and we’ve been really in flux a lot, from internally to the team to the COVID to the injured. I mean, it’s just been crazy. So, it’s making me a better coach. I don’t know who I’m going to have every game I come out and play. So, I got to kind of rearrange things. It really is making me a ton better.”
There’s more from Portland:
- Damian Lillard put off surgery for as long as he could, but it became too difficult to keep playing through the pain caused by abdominal tendinopathy, per Casey Holdahl of NBA.com. Lillard rested for a month after the Olympics with the hope that it would help his condition, but he said the discomfort returned early in training camp. He underwent surgery this week and will be re-evaluated in five to six weeks. “I know (surgery) is ultimately going to be what’s best for the team, too,” Lillard said. “I’d rather be selfish for the team, what I see for our organization and where I want it to go. It makes no sense to keep doing it the way we was doing it. It’s like, all right, take a step back to take how many steps forward. It’s just what had to happen.”
- While he’s out of action, Lillard is working with the team’s younger players, including Anfernee Simons, who has excelled since taking over Lillard’s starting spot, Holdahl adds. “Ant is like my protege, he’s been under my wing,” Lillard said. “We train together in the summer, I’m always talking to him, I’m always in his ear, we’re always texting and stuff like that because I’ve always believed in him to the highest power.”
- Norman Powell has formed a similar relationship with CJ Elleby, notes Jason Quick of The Athletic. Elleby has used what he learned from Powell to become a reliable rotation player while the Blazers are short-handed.
Mr Lillard, you totally right about being selfish, but not for the team, you were selfish for yourself by playing with Team USA & jeopardizing POR’s season, maybe you should try to remember that they pay your enormous salary, not Team USA, a bit more professionalism would be nice!
You’re 100% correct, how dare Dame Lillard want to represent his country and so selfishly play in the Olympics!!!
Come on man, you cant seriously blame him for wanting to play and represent for his country. That’s especially the case when so many of today’s “greats” skip out of the Olympic games.
Dame was likely going to have to have the surgery regardless, him playing hardly impacted that. Yes, maybe he could have had the surgery sooner, instead of playing in the Games, but he wanted to play and I, for one, am glad he was able to.
I am happy you are glad about it, but… POR is paying him an enormous amount of $$$ to not play, wrecking their season, you see when they were out of last season he gets his surgery & he would have been back on time for training camp, then POR’s season looks a whole lot different with a healthy Dame, instead they had a very very very bad version of him, which has made the team real bad & now misses a lot of time killing their season as a matter of fact, so… yeah great for the team that pays him like over $40MM for that!
In whichever way you look at it, is selfish & very disrespectful of the team that actually pays him, never forget that… Team USA ain’t paying him & worse they don’t pay POR for taking him.
Not sure why you are holding on to this rant. Its absurd. Feels like random trolling. How someone playing in the Olympics for free can be interpreted as selfish is stretching logic to its breaking point. I watched the Olympics to see Dame. As a fan, it was a nice bonus. He didn’t play all that well, which was disappointing. Turns out he was hurt. I don’t blame him for being selfish. Weird rant.
I’m just curious about when the fire sale starts. They should be focusing on a tank job and recouping 1sts for expiring contracts. They have 5 quality guys to deal. There’s absolutely no one in this UFA class besides LaVine who is staying put. So the only way to shake the roster up is via trade and a high draft pick.
I’m still dreaming of a scenario where Simmons makes it over to POR if Philly stays stubborn and holds on to BS through the end of season. POR has enough assets and favorable contracts to make things happen in a 3-team trade and still retain Lillard, get BS, and still have other pieces to make a legitimate run at Finals.