Trail Blazers’ Tiago Splitter Addresses Media as Interim Head Coach

It’s been a shocking 48 hours for new Portland Trail Blazers Interim Head Coach Tiago Splitter.

Following Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups’ arrest by the FBI early Thursday morning for allegedly taking part in an illegal gambling ring, Splitter is the man the organization has called on as the Next Man Up to lead during this rocky time.

Splitter, 40, joined the Blazers coaching staff as an assistant this summer. Now, after just one game in that role, he’ll serve as the Blazers head coach in tonight’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors and likely 80 more regular-season games after that.

Before tonight’s game, Splitter spoke with reporters for the first time in his new role during the Blazers’ regular pregame media availability session at 5:15 p.m. Splitter’s interview also marked the first time any Blazers representative has spoken to the media since Thursday morning’s bombshell news broke.

While fielding questions, Splitter made it clear the team is trying to stay focused on basketball and moving forward with their jobs.

Here are some quotes from the interview:

Splitter on what his messaging to the team was tonight:

“I think we’re going to talk about basketball. Just do what we do. Play the way we like to play with good pace, be aggressive on defense, rebound, that’s gonna be the identity of this team and I’m not gonna change it.”

On if he’s addressing everything that’s going on off the court as they prepare for this game?

“Well, I spoke in the morning but that’s it. I think it’s life stuff that happened, and you just go — next step, basketball and do our job.”

On if he’s finding it hard for the team to block out all the distractions and focus on basketball?

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

On what the mood was yesterday for the team?

”Not great, not great. But like I said, we gotta move forward. We got a job to do. I’m gonna get tired of repeating this. We have a great opportunity in front of us to have a great season with this team and I’m excited about that.”

On if he’s able to have any communication with Billups:

On what Billups meant to the young players and how they responded to his coaching:

“We all had a great experience with Chauncey and how he coached. We are thinking of him and his family. But we got a job to do.”

On how it feels to go from coaching his first game as a Blazers assistant to being the head coach for the next game:

“It wasn’t expected for sure, but like I said, I have to be ready. I was ready. I am ready. I did it in the past in a different league in Europe… It’s a lot of responsibility.”

On when he might look to change parts of the team’s schematic system:

“There is stuff that I already implemented coming here two months ago. The pace that we’re playing, we did the same stuff last year with Paris. The rotations are similar. … It’s not like I’m gonna now put in something new. It was a collective thing that we put together months ago, and we’re just gonna follow the plan.”