Blazers HC Chauncey Billups to Miss Next Two Games

Matt Levine | 16 Hours Ago

The Portland Trail Blazers will be without head coach Chauncey Billups for the next two games. According to insider Marc Spears, Billups recently lost his grandmother and he will take some time away.

Assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren will serve as the head coach for the team for a few games. Blazers on SI sends thoughts and condolences to the entire Billups family during this time.

Portland Trail Blazers say head coach Chauncey Billups will miss the next two games due to the recent passing of his late grandmother. Assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren will serve as head coach until his return.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) December 26, 2024

The Trail Blazers will be taking on the Utah Jazz on Thursday, followed by a meeting against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday evening. If Billups is forced to miss any extra time, Portland then takes on the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Portland currently holds a record of 9-20 on the season and they have lost eight of their last 10 games overall. The Trail Blazers are currently on a two-game losing streak and will look to snap it against the Jazz.

The team may be without center Robert Williams III for this game as he is currently listed as questionable with a nagging injury. Williams III has been dealing with injuries for a big portion of the season, bringing up more concerns about his long injury history.

Read more: Crucial Big Man Could Miss Jazz Game Due to Lingering Ailment

The Trail Blazers entered this season looking to build upon the young core that the team has in place. Portland believed that they could be much more competitive this season, even if it didn't end in the team making the postseason.

The front office has been evaluating which players they want to keep around for the long haul and which ones are expendable as part of the rebuild. Billups has been a big part in this process and the players seem to very much enjoy playing for the former star guard.

The organization seems to believe in Billups even with some calling for his job. The former guard has kept things together, even if it hasn't fully resulted in wins on the court.

The hope is that Billups takes whatever time he needs to handle things and can return to the sidelines sooner rather than later. He is the leader for this Trail Blazers team and the young players all look up to him.

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