Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports that the Portland Trail Blazers’ two coaching finalists, Terry Stotts and Kaleb Canales, interviewed with owner Paul Allen in London on Friday.

Quick writes that Allen is expected to deliberate with general manager Neil Olshey and board of directors chair Bert Kolde and then make a decision in the coming days. Allen, who has a home in London and has his yacht docked there for the Olympics, declined an interview request from Quick.

Stotts is a two-time NBA head coach (Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks) who is currently an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks. Canales is a former Blazers video intern who climbed the ranks and served as the team’s interim coach last season after Nate McMillan was fired.

Jason Quick of The Oregonian tweets that the Portland Trail Blazers have narrowed their coaching search to two candidates:

Terry Stotts and Kaleb Canales are the two finalists for the Trail Blazers head coaching position, The Oregonian has learned—
Jason Quick (@jwquick) August 02, 2012

Former Orlando Magic assistant Steve Clifford and Phoenix Suns assistant Elston Turner were eliminated after the four semifinalists had second interviews this week.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Stotts (with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks) and Canales (the Blazers interim coach) are the only two among the quartet with any head-coaching experience.

Canales earned a strong endorsement from general manager Neil Olshey when Olshey was hired in June.

No word on a timetable for a final decision.

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports that the Portland Trail Blazers are down to four finalists for their vacant head coach position: interim coach Kaleb Canales, former Orlando Magic assistant Steve Clifford, Dallas Mavericks assistant Terry Stotts and Phoenix Suns assistant Elston Turner.

Stotts, who spent a total of four seasons guiding the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks, is the only one with head-coaching experience, other than the interim stint turned in by Canales.

Quick writes that all four will have second interviews in Portland next week, and general manager Neil Olshey will then make a recommendation to owner Paul Allen.

Quick later reported on Twitter the potential for an additional candidate:

The possibility for a 5th "mystery" candidate in the Trail Blazers' coaching search is in play, The Oregonian has learned.—
Jason Quick (@jwquick) July 25, 2012

The 5th "mystery" candidate is not represented by LeGarie or Kauffman, two of the three major agents in coaching circles.—
Jason Quick (@jwquick) July 25, 2012

If the Blazers turn to the 5th mystery candidate, it would be late in the process I'm told—
Jason Quick (@jwquick) July 25, 2012

Interim coach Canales has the support of the Blazers’ new G.M. for the permanent job. (Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

At his introductory press conference, new Portland Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey gushed about interim coach Kaleb Canales, making it seem as if Canales is a near-lock to be handed the job on a permanent basis.

“If you’re asking me to handicap it, I’ll say (Canales is) the in-house favorite right now. … At the end of the day, I don’t see anyone bringing more to the table than Kaleb Canales,” Olshey said, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. “But we’re going to follow a process to see how it works out.”

Haynes points out that Olshey and Canales have the same agent, so his gushing should be taken with a grain of salt. But if Blazers ownership was already leaning toward keeping Canales, it makes sense to hire someone who would be comfortable with him.