Tiago Splitter on Friday spoke publicly for the first time since he was named Portland Trail Blazers ' interim coach in the wake of Chauncey Billups ’ arrest and indictment.

Splitter, who joined the organization in June as an assistant coach, said the teams’ thoughts are with Billups and his family but that everyone is trying to focus on moving forward.

“These guys are human beings and we understand that,” Splitter said. “But (we’re) trying to focus on the basketball part for sure.

The NBA placed Billups on immediate leave Thursday after he was arrested by federal agents for allegedly laundering money and committing wire fraud conspiracy as part of a years-long poker scheme.

Splitter, who was named interim coach hours later, was the first person in the organization to speak pu

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