The mood of the Portland Trail Blazers is dire. Head coach Chauncey Billups’ arrest on gambling-related charges has turned the beginning of what was supposed to be a routine season for the Blazers upside-down. After a period of silence from the team following Billups being placed on leave by the NBA, interim head coach Tiago Splitter recently spoke on the goings-on in Portland.

When asked about his mindset stepping into this role, Splitter said flatly, “ We have a job to do .” His words carried a calm steadiness that the Blazers desperately need: a quiet assertion of duty from a man who has long valued professionalism. Splitter, an ex-NBA player with 7 years of experience and a championship with the Spurs under his belt, is the kind of presence needed to stabilize the Blazers, a young a

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