Blazers introduce Billups, 'stand by' hire amid criticism

Chauncey Billups talked to the media after being announced as the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers at the team’s practice facility in Tualatin, Ore., on Tuesday.PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers went into damage-control mode while introducing Chauncey Billups as their new coach Tuesday, amid questions about how they selected him over more experienced candidates and how sexual assault allegations were lodged against him nearly a quarter-century ago.

Billups never faced charges related to those allegations that came out in 1997 and settled out of court with the accuser three years later. He addressed that chapter Tuesday, though when he was asked to elaborate on some of those…