Christmas sacking for Bulls coach Skiles

CHICAGO: The Chicago Bulls, struggling near the bottom of the NBA's Eastern Conference after losing three of their last four games, fired coach Scott Skiles on Monday.

"This was a difficult decision to make but one that was necessary at this time. Scott helped us in many ways during his time with the Bulls - most importantly, he helped this franchise get back to respectability," Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson said in a statement posted on the team's website.

The Bulls were considered among the teams likely to contend for the Eastern Conference championship this season but got off to a miserable start and struggled to a 9-16 record - third-worst in the conference and putting them last in the Central Division.

The latest loss came at home on Saturday, a crushing 116-98 defeat by the Houston Rockets, as boos rained down from the United Center crowd, many of whom left early.

"That's one of those things that goes along with this league," Bulls center Ben Wallace told espn.com of Skiles' dismissal. "Change is not always bad. If everybody wants to be here we have to step it up and go out there and play basketball."

Skiles, who compiled a 165-172 record in his five seasons at the helm of the Bulls, had fashioned the team into a sharp-shooting squad. The Bulls developed a reputation for defensive toughness and made the playoffs three years in a row. But that edge seemed to be missing this year.

"I am appreciative of his hard work and the imprint that he left on our team," Paxson said of Skiles, adding that no decision had been made on a successor.

After two first-round playoff exits, the Bulls ousted the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the first round last season before losing to the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls had revived under Paxson and Skiles after several embarrassing losing seasons that followed six NBA championships during the 1990s, the last in 1998.

Ranked by experts as among the best in league history, the championship teams were led by guard Michael Jordan and coached by Phil Jackson, who now leads the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan is with the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, listed as the managing member of basketball operations.

In eight-plus seasons as a head coach in the NBA, the often fiery Skiles has a career coaching record of 281-251 (.528).

Agencies

(China Daily 12/26/2007 page24)