Blazers hire Minnesota's Micah Nori as new head coach

Catch up quick: Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested as part of a federal gambling investigation after the team's second game last season, leaving assistant Tiago Splitter as interim coach.

• Splitter got the most out of the team, leading the Blazers to a 42-40 record and Rip City's first playoff appearance in five years.
• Splitter was in the running for the permanent position but accepted an offer last week to coach the Chicago Bulls.

The big picture: Nori comes to the Blazers with a wealth of experience — as an advance scout, player development coach and offensive coordinator — but this will be his first NBA head coaching job.

• He'll look to capitalize on the team's success last season — when Deni Avdija secured his first All-Star appearance — and build on it with hometown hero Damian Lillard returning to the lineup after missing a season while rehabbing a torn Achilles.

What they're saying: "He's elite with lineup combinations. Elite with rotations. Elite with special situations," Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch told The Athletic.

• "He's just been huge for us here in that regard."