Blazers' Splitter on Dundon reports: 'Trying to be a pro' - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter said he's «just trying to be a pro» and focus on the team's first playoff appearance in five years as reports swirled about new owner Tom Dundon talking to outside candidates to replace him.

«Just trying to be a pro,» Splitter said before the Blazers' 106-103 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Tuesday night. "[I] try to focus on my locker room and my staff to stay and think about basketball. Same way when I got the job and all the stuff that was going on."

Splitter was named Portland's interim head coach after Chauncey Billups was arrested by the FBI as part of a federal investigation into a rigged high-stakes poker scheme with links to the mafia. Billups pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and wire fraud.

Splitter took over the morning after Billups' arrest and has led the team to a 42-40 record, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and presided over the development of All-Star forward Deni Avdija, who was named a finalist for Most Improved Player this season.

Sources close to the situation told ESPN that Splitter was given a raise from his assistant coaching salary and discussed a longer-term contract during the season. The salary presented to him to continue on as head coach was far below a standard NBA head coaching salary, and further discussion was tabled until after the season, sources said.

«He got thrown in a difficult situation,» Avdija said after the Blazers evened the series on Tuesday night. «It wasn't easy for him to just all of a sudden take the head job. But I think he's done phenomenal. He's getting the best out of everybody. He's believing in each and single one of