Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty to taking part in rigged, mob-tied underground poker games at a packed federal court hearing attended by 30 of his fellow co-defendants in the case.

Sitting at the defense table in a gray suit with a white pocket square, Billups entered his plea as a sea of lawyers and defendants — including former Cleveland Cavaliers player and coach Damon Jones — sat behind him in the second-floor ceremonial courtroom in Brooklyn Federal Court Monday.

Billups and Jones are accused of acting as “face cards” at high-stakes poker games games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, the Hamptons and Miami, meant to reel in deep-pocketed gamblers, or “fish,” who wanted to play Texas Hold ‘Em with basketball stars.

Once hooked, the fish had no chance

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