Blazers extend Cheeks’ contract

Cheeks, who has just the 2003-04 season remaining on his current pact, took the reigns in Portland in June of 2001. He has coached the Blazers to a 103-68 in his two-plus seasons, including a 4-3 record this year.

Portland was 50-32 last season and nearly pulled off an astounding comeback against Dallas in the first round of the playoffs. The Mavs, poised for a sweep, jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the series before the Blazers won three straight and forced a Game 7.

Dallas won that final game, however, and eliminated Portland from the postseason.

Cheeks, a 15-year veteran of the NBA, began his coaching career as an assistant in the CBA, where he led the Quad City Thunder to the league championship in 1993-94. He then returned to the NBA and was hired by the 76ers as an assistant, a position he held for seven years.

The 47-year-old Cheeks is credited with the development of All-Star guard Allen Iverson and helped coach the 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals.

A four-time NBA All-Star, he was selected by Philadelphia in the second round of the 1978 draft. Cheeks then became the 76ers starting point guard, starring on the 1983 NBA championship team.