“F**k we laughing at”: Chauncey Billups recalls deriding Blazers players for lack of seriousness
Chauncey Billups is tasked with navigating the Portland Trail Blazers following the Damian Lillard trade. The former champion recently opened up on a meltdown he had on the young squad.
During a recent matchup against the Utah Jazz, the Blazers were down big. While the game was going on, Chauncey Billups said he saw something he wasn't expecting – players smiling and enjoying themselves.
"What the f*** we laughing at?" Billups remembers shouting. "I don't see nothing funny right now! We are getting our a**es kicked."
In the midst of a rebuild, Portland finds itself with one of the worst records in the Western Conference. Through 19 games, it sits at 6-13. The only teams with a worse record than them are the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies.
Billups had a successful career as a player, but his coaching tenure is not off to the start he may have hoped. In the midst of his third season as an NBA head coach, he has a record of 66-117 and has failed to reach the postseason.
Chauncey Billups' meltdown had a positive effect on the Trail Blazers
In most cases, seeing their coach go off in a blowout game would have deterred players even more. However, it ended up being a rallying cry for the Portland Trail Blazers. While they didn't end up beating the Utah Jazz that night, they did erase a 16-point deficit and take the game into overtime.
Among the players Chauncey Billups had the meltdown on was Matisse Thybulle. The defensive-minded wing was traded to Portland last year from the Philadelphia 76ers, and inked a big extension in the offseason. When detailing the situation, Thybulle stated that Billups' meltdown was a bit of a wake-up call for them.
"Yeah. We were goofing off and laughing in a game we were losing, and he comes down and has some choice words, and we were like ... 'Yeah, you know what? He might be right,'" Thybulle said.
This is a crucial year for the Blazers, as it is the first season since trading away franchise pillar Damian Lillard. Despite not having a clear star, Portland still has a mix of young talent and veterans to be competitive. Knowing this, Billups has no intentions of letting his group lose focus throughout the long regular season.