Mar 30, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups looks on during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Blazers Coach Puts Media on Blast: 'Y'all Didn't Really See Us Play Last Year'

Originally posted on Portland Trail Blazers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Portland Trail Blazers dug themselves into a huge hole to start last season. It was too big a hole to dig out of, as they fell just short of qualifying for the play-in.

Next season, they are hoping to actually make the playoffs in what is a very crowded Western Conference. Chauncey Billups has faith in his team to build on top of what happened this past season.

Billups understands that a lot of the NBA media don't think that they have what it takes to actually make a run at the playoffs, and he called them out on it.

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While speaking on a Summer League broadcast, Billups called out ESPN for not showing his team enough when he was asked about his team's defensive style.

“Well, most of the world, and even you, now that I hear this question, y’all didn’t really see us play last year. That’s what we do," Billups said. "We pick up full court every single time."

Billups is clearly frustrated with the fact that not enough of the country gets to see his team compete. The Trail Blazers were one of the best defensive teams at the end of the regular season.

By that point, the Blazers had largely been eliminated from playoff consideration, so most fans outside of Portland had stopped paying attention to them.

Portland is going to build on that defensive identity next season, and that's something Billups has also talked about. They have to build an offensive identity now, too.

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Perhaps the Blazers will get on TV more next season with some of the youth that they have on the team. Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan should excite more fans around the league other than the ones in Portland.

If Billups is able to get the Trail Blazers to win more games next year, they certainly will be on national television more. That's what smaller market teams have to do in order to get shown more.

The number of national TV games for the Blazers next season isn't likely to increase. If it does, it won't happen until the second half of the year.

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This article first appeared on Portland Trail Blazers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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