Damian Lillard defends Chauncey Billups

Photo: Portland Trail Blazers/Twitter

The Trail Blazers are perilously close to missing the playoffs for the second straight season. Also for the second year Chauncey Billups is the head coach of the team.

Some attribute Portland’s disappointing performance to Billups, but team star Damian Lillard credits circumstances.

He pointed to the fact that the Blazers have a young team, making it harder for an aspiring coach to succeed.

Via Jason Quick of The Athletic:

“The team has to deal with a lot of challenges and I’ve never been in favor of – even going back to Terry – blaming the coach,” Lillard said. “I think there are a lot of things on the court that you can see in the movie that we players need to be better at. We’ve been very young for the last two years and I think it’s hard for a new coach to have a young team with so much to learn.

“But that’s the way it is: you lose games, you fight, and people will say: “We need a new coach!” We’ve been in the playoffs for eight years, and Terry has been said the same.”

With 12 regular season games, Portland (31-39) is 13th in the Western Conference, the same spot the team finished last year.