The NBA season is still young but it’s not too early for some teams to panic, especially the Portland Trail Blazers.
They are just one of the organizations within the NBA that know they should be doing better than they are.
With that knowledge and concern comes the desire to shake things up and get rid of whoever is causing problems – notably the head coach.
Right now the Blazers are one NBA team that needs to change its trajectory as soon as possible and fire their coach if they hope to achieve greatness again.
Chauncey Billups Should Go
The Chauncey Billups experiment in Portland isn’t working and it’s time it comes to a close.
Of all the teams in the league, the Trail Blazers have the most weighing on their shoulders.
If this NBA season doesn’t go well then they will almost certainly lose their lead player, Damian Lillard.
Lillard has repeatedly denied he’s unhappy with the team but the writing is on the wall.
"I'm not asking for a trade. I don't know how many times I gotta say it."@Dame_Lillard addresses the trade rumors and says he's trying to find solutions to help Portland win.
(via @JDumasReports) pic.twitter.com/6NY3mHAPGH
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 8, 2021
Right now, the team is mired in controversy and dysfunction, sitting 11th in the Western Conference with an 11-15 record.
They need to turn this ship around quickly and that begins with letting go of Billups.
Defense Is Still A Problem
Portland knew their problems heading into this season, particularly their defensive issues.
When former head coach Terry Stotts was fired, it was partly because he was never able to improve the Blazers’ defense.
However, since Billups’ hiring the team has only gotten worse stopping shots and they are now 30th in the league when they were 29th last year.
So, Billups hasn’t figured out how to make the team operate better offensively or defensively.
The fact that Portland has actually gotten worse under Billups is the first reason why he should go – but it isn’t the last.
Tensions Rise
Say what you want about Stotts, but the Blazers squad seemed to respect the man even though he didn’t lead them to victory.
The same can’t be said for Billups.
There have been multiple reports of in-fighting behind the scenes and rising tension that is pulling the organization apart.
Tensions are reportedly rising in Portland with Damian Lillard and players frustrated.
@TheFrankIsola & @Scalabrine are not blaming new Head Coach Chauncey Billups for the struggles #RipCity pic.twitter.com/MEIjc9O0MX— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 6, 2021
If rumors are to be believed, Lillard has grown increasingly frustrated with the chaos and is unhappy with the direction of the team under Billups.
If there had only been one or two reports about strain between the locker room and Billups you could probably disregard them.
However, there have now been numerous leaks from inside the Blazers and it’s harder and harder to believe that something isn’t wrong.
It’s not just the team that doesn’t respect Billups; Billups doesn’t respect the team either.
After a recent loss to the Celtics, Billups tore into the team saying:
“Competitive fire and pride, that’s something you either have or don’t have. That’s something you can’t turn off and turn on. … I’ve never seen a team that needs its bench to inspire our starters.”
A comment like that shows that Billups is just as unhappy with the team as they are with him.
The Drama Never Stops
Billups’ hiring has been a disaster from the very beginning.
When it was first announced that he would succeed Stotts, controversy immediately erupted when a very serious sexual assault allegation against him was uncovered.
People called for Billups to be fired immediately but Portland didn’t move.
That started Billups off on the wrong foot – and was an early sign that this was a mistake.
Since then, it has only gotten worse and the team is performing at their lowest in years.
Between the drama and horrible record, the Blazers under Billups just isn’t working and is all but guaranteeing the team will lose Lillard in the months ahead.
That’s why it’s vital that Billups goes as soon as possible.
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