Maurice Cheeks was fired Saturday as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers , who are slumping at 9-14 a year after making the playoffs .
9-14
maurice cheeks fire saturday coach philadelphia 76er slump 9-14 year make playoff
Maurice Cheeks was fired Saturday as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers , who are slumping at <m> 9-14 </m> a year after making the playoffs .
Maurice Cheeks was fired Saturday as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers , who are slumping at <m> 9-14 </m> a year after making the playoffs .
Assistant general manager Tony DiLeo was appointed coach for rest of the season .
The dismissal came hours before the 76ers were to play at home , with DiLeo making his coaching debut against Washington .
Team president Ed Stefanski said he met with Cheeks , describing the former 76er star as a `` gentleman throughout '' and a `` class act . ''
`` I felt we were not progressing the way we had wanted to progress , '' Stefanski said .
`` I did n't feel on the floor we were executing the philosophy we wanted to have as Sixers basketball . ''
Cheeks was one of more the popular players in 76ers history and was starting his fourth season as coach. Stefanski had given Cheeks two contract extensions in the past season , but the slow start was enough to cost him his job .
Cheeks became the fifth NBA coach fired this season following P.J. Carlesimo ( Oklahoma City ) , Eddie Jordan ( Washington ) , Sam Mitchell ( Toronto ) and Randy Wittman ( Minnesota ) .
A message left on Cheeks ' cell phone was not immediately returned .
DiLeo has spent 19 seasons with the 76ers .
He was promoted to senior vice president/assistant general manager in 2003 .
His son , T.J. DiLeo , is a guard for Temple and he said after the Owls ' 88-72 win over No. 8 Tennessee that he was excited his father had a chance to coach .
`` I think it 's unfortunate for Mo , he 's a great coach , but my dad is ready to step in , `` DiLeo said .
`` This caught us by surprise .
We had no idea . ''
DiLeo said he had n't talked to his father yet , but noticed one missed call from him on his cell phone .
Cheeks led the 76ers to the playoffs last year for the first time while he was coach .
Philadelphia was one of the surprise teams in the East last season , and the 76ers anticipated a deep run in the playoffs this year .
They signed Elton Brand to a five-year deal worth nearly $ 80 million last summer , but they have struggled with him in the lineup and have lost eight of 10 .
Last season , the 76ers lost in the first round to Detroit .
After an 18-30 start , Philadelphia won 18 of its next 23 games and wound up at 40-42 , the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference .
Stefanski rewarded Cheeks with two contract extensions in seven months that would have taken him to the end of next season .
Instead , with the team on a three-game losing streak and last in the Atlantic Division , he did n't even last until the end of the calendar year .
Cheeks also coached at Portland .
He played 15 seasons in the NBA , the first 11 with Philadelphia , and retired in 1993 .
An outstanding defensive player , Cheeks played in four All-Star games and was a member of the 76ers ' championship team in 1982-83 .
His No. 10 jersey hangs in the rafters .