Chauncey Billups enters health and safety protocols

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has entered the league’s health and safety protocols, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The first-year head coach will officially miss tonight’s home contest against the Dallas Mavericks. Assistant coach Scott Brooks will serve as the acting head coach for as long as the Portland head man is out.

Like several teams across the league, the Trail Blazers have been hit hard by the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and team members being sidelined. Per Monday’s injury report, Portland has seven players currently in health and safety protocols, a list that includes the likes of contributors such as Jusuf Nurkic, Robert Covington, and Cody Zeller. And with CJ McCollum still out due to a lung injury and Damian Lillard questionable for personal reasons, they could be extremely shorthanded vs. the Mavs.

The Blazers have a home bout against the Jazz on Wednesday before heading down to Los Angeles for a road matchup with the Lakers on New Year’s Eve.