How the Trail Blazers celebrated their first win since Chauncey Billups’ arrest
It probably wasn’t what Thiago Splitter envisioned for his first win as an NBA head coach, but there it was, as he walked into the Trail Blazers’ locker room after the Warriors’ defeat on Friday and his players doused him with water bottles.
Splitter, 40, who played in the NBA for seven years, took over as Portland’s interim coach, succeeding Chauncey Billups. He was arrested Thursday For his alleged role in an illegal poker scheme – on the same day as Heat guard Terry Rozier and former player Damon Jones. They were also arrested for their alleged roles In separate episodes of poker and illegal sports gambling.
The mood at the facility wasn’t “great” on Thursday, Splitter He told reporters before the matchBut when the Trail Blazers needed to get back to basketball and escape the chaos of the situation for at least one night, Splitter led them to a 139-119 victory.
“We didn’t want to do it right when he came in,” Portland goalie Jrue Holiday told reporters about the water celebration. According to Blazer’s Edge. “He was very close to the door and probably could have run out or something, so I think being able to put him in the middle of the circle was the best plan, and it was executed well.”
When speaking about that moment, Splitter said he was “happy to see the smile on my players’ faces,” according to the outlet.
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He spent five seasons with the Spurs, one with the Hawks and one with the 76ers during his NBA career. Two years after his retirement, he moved to coaching the league.
Initially, he spent four seasons as an assistant with the Nets before the Rockets hired him to be an assistant under Ime Udoka.
Then, after one year as head coach of Paris Basketball, he returned to the NBA as an assistant on Billups’ staff.
The FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a fake poker ring supported by organized crime families in New York City.
- Ernest Aiello – famous Bonanno mobster
- Nelson “Spanish J” Alvarez
- Louis “Law Up” Apicella
- Ammar “Flapper Poker” Al Awawda
- Saul Becher — Professional poker player
- Chauncey Billups – Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion
- Matthew “The Wrestler” Dadino
- Eric “Scary” Ernest
- Lee Fama — Professional poker player
- John Gallo
- Marco Garzon
- Thomas “Tommy Joyce” Gilardo – a famous Lucchese gangster who was indicted in 2013 for Porn star girlfriend hit
- Jimmy Gillette
- Tony “Black Tony” Goodson
- Kenny Hahn
- Shane “drunk” her
- Usman “Albanian Bruce” hottie
- Horatio is
- Chen “Scrolly” is
- Damon “Dee Jones” Jones – NBA player from 1998 to 2009
- Joseph Laney
- John “John South” Mazzola
- Curtis Mix
- Nicholas Minucci
- Michael Renzulli
- Anthony Ruggiero Jr
- Anthony “Doc” Schneiderman
- Robert “Black Robe” Stroud
- Seth Trustman
- Sophia “Bucky” Wee
- Julius Ziliani
But Billups’ future as Trail Blazers coach remains unclear after his allegation Acts as a “face card” In an illegal poker scheme that used rigged shuffling machines, X-ray tables and special glasses to change the games.
In a statement to ESPN after his arrest, his lawyer described Billups as an “honest man.” He said his client intends to fight the charges In court.
“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom,” attorney Chris Heywood told the outlet in part. “He wouldn’t put those things on the line for anything, let alone a game of cards.”
After opening the season with two home games, the Trail Blazers will now travel to face the Clippers, Lakers and Jazz on the road.
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