DENVER – Being the visiting coach at his hometown’s NBA arena was not the stuff of dreams for Chauncey Billups, but that became his reality Sunday at Ball Arena.

Billups and his Portland Trail Blazers were in Denver for the first time since the standout at George Washington High School and University of Colorado became a head coach.

“I never dreamt that,” Billups said pregame. “This is obviously special for me. Everybody knows how I feel about this city. So many great memories, not only with the city but the organization, so this will be a lot of fun.”

If there was any doubt Billups’s affinity for his hometown, the televisions in the visiting team’s press conference room remained on, airing the Denver Broncos game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“OK, OK,” Billups said, sitting down when the Broncos closed within a touchdown in the third quarter. “We’re in striking distance.”

Billups’ hiring initially received scrutiny due to an allegation of sexual assault dating back to his days playing for the Boston Celtics in the late 90s. Portland said it investigated the matter and found nothing that prevented them from hiring Billups, who would later play for the Nuggets and went on to win a championship and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player with the Detroit Pistons later in his playing career. Billups and the Blazers are off to a 6-7 start in his first season as a head coach.

“He’s always been a leader on the court. Now, he’s a leader on the bench, in the locker room, for that franchise,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I think they have very talented guards … and to have a head coach who’s played at the highest level and helped win a championship, I’m sure those experiences that Chauncey can share with those guys are invaluable.”

With Billups’ return to Denver came the nightmare of dealing with the Nuggets’ reigning Most Valuable Player, Nikola Jokic.

“I love everything about him. He’s tough,” Billups said of the Nuggets’ new star. “Preparing for him is difficult. Every coach in the league has that difficult task of trying to prepare for him because he can hurt you in so many ways.”