Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Tiago Splitter will serve as the team’s interim coach after head coach Chauncey Billups was placed on leave following accusations of involvement in a federal gambling investigation .

Billups, 49, was arrested Thursday in Oregon on charges related to an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia, according to ABC News . He is expected to make an initial court appearance Thursday in Oregon. The NBA announced he was “placed on immediate leave” from coaching the Trail Blazers.

In turn, the Trail Blazers named Splitter as its interim coach, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania . He is in his first season with Portland after previously serving as an assistant for the Brooklyn Nets (2019-23) and Houston Rockets (2023-24). Most recently, he served as head coa

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