Philadelphia 76ers management had enough of the NBA team lurking near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and fired head coach Maurice Cheeks on Saturday .
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Philadelphia 76ers management had enough of the NBA team lurking near the <m> bottom </m> of the Eastern Conference standings and fired head coach Maurice Cheeks on Saturday .
Philadelphia 76ers management had enough of the NBA team lurking near the <m> bottom </m> of the Eastern Conference standings and fired head coach Maurice Cheeks on Saturday .
Assistant general manager Tony DiLeo was named interim coach .
`` Decisions of this nature are never easy , and this was particularly difficult due to the great amount of respect I have for Maurice Cheeks , '' team president and general manager Ed Stefanski said .
`` However , at this time I felt that it is in the best interest of this team to make a change while there is still time to accomplish the goals we set forth for ourselves at the start of the season . ''
The 76ers dropped their third game in a row on Friday , an 88-72 setback to Cleveland , and occupy last place in the Atlantic Division with a 9-14 record .
Cheeks would become the fifth NBA coach fired this season , along with P.J. Carlesimo ( Oklahoma City ) , Eddie Jordan ( Washington ) , Sam Mitchell ( Toronto ) and Randy Wittman ( Minnesota ) .
The former 76ers point guard for much of the 1980s came back to the city to assume coaching duties prior to the 2005 season .
Last season he led the club to their first postseason berth in four years .
Cheeks has an overall record of 284-286 , which includes nearly four years as coach of Portland .
Stefanski had given Cheeks two contract extensions in the past season , but the slow start was enough to cost him his job .
The Sixers have hardly resembled last season 's up-tempo group that advanced to the playoffs , despite the addition of free agent Elton Brand .
DiLeo has spent 19 seasons with the 76ers and was promoted to senior vice president and assistant general manager in 2003 .
Prior to joining the organization he had amateur coaching experience .
Philadelphia host the Washington Wizards on Saturday .