PHILADELPHIA — Maurice Cheeks was fired Saturday as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers,who are slumping at 9-14 a year after making the playoffs. Assistant general manager Tony DiLeo was appointed coach for the 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,” Stefanski said.
Cheeks was one of the most popular players in 76ers history and was starting his fourth season as coach. Stefanski had given Cheeks two contract extensions in the past 10 months, 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).
Saints’ Bush to have knee examined
METAIRIE, La. — Reggie Bush‘s left knee will be examined again after what appeared to be a minor sprain.
The New Orleans Saints running back will have an MRI, and noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews will look at the images.
Saints coach Sean Payton said the results are expected early this week. Bush was hurt in the first half of Thursday night’s 27-24 loss in Chicago.
• The San Francisco 49ers put receiver Arnaz Battle on injured reserve with a sprained foot.
Ski jumper Ammann sets record
PRAGELATO, Italy — Simon Ammann of Switzerland set a hill record with a leap of 144 meters to win his third ski jump World Cup event of the season and widen his lead in the overall standings.
Ammann’s second jump through a thick fog was enough to overtake Austria’s Gregor Schlierenzauer, who had the lead after the first jump and finished second. Finnish 18-year-old Ville Larinto was third.
• Thomas Florschuetz of Germany guided his two-man bobsled team to victory for his first World Cup win in Igls, Austria. Steven Holcomb and Justin Olsen of the United States finished third.
Beat Hafti and Thomas Lamparter of Switzerland were second.
Footnotes.
Tina Ellertson scored her first international goal to give the United States a 1-0 win over China in a women’s soccer exhibition in Carson, Calif.
• Wladimir Klitschko (52-3, 46 KOs) defended his IBF heavyweight crown by stopping Hasim Rahman (45-7-2) in the seventh in Mannheim, Germany.
• Kenny Perry and partner Scott Hoch finished with a 12-under-par 60 in the better-ball format at the second round of the Merrill Lynch Shootout in Naples, Fla.
• Chinese gymnasts He Kexin, Cheng Fei and Zhang Hongtao won titles at the World Cup Final in Madrid, Spain.
• Maryland (22-3-0) will meet North Carolina (15-7-1) for the men’s soccer College Cup today in Frisco, Texas.
The Associated Press
