Despite being a half game out of the final playoff spot in the East, the Detroit Pistons fired head coach Maurice Cheeks after 50 games.
Currently 21-29 and behind the Charlotte Bobcats, Cheeks’ ouster was first reported by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojanarowski Sunday afternoon, is the eighth coach to be fired by Pistons general manager Joe Dumars.
Whether or nor players didn’t respond well to Cheeks, or Detroit gave up on him too soon. Cheeks had the Pistons contending in a weak conference with a bolstered lineup that included the likes of free-agent acquisition Josh Smith, Brandon Jennings and a talented frontline of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.
Reports are that Detroit’s choice to replace Cheeks are former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins.