That was fast

[Tammo29@xxxxxxx]

Saturday, May 31
 
Pistons to name Brown as new coach Monday
ESPN.com news services


The Detroit Pistons fired coach Rick Carlisle and will hire Larry Brown, a
source within the league said Saturday.



Carlisle told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that he was fired late Friday.
The Pistons, meanwhile, will replace him with Brown on Monday, the source told
The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.



Carlisle led the Pistons to a 50-win season and a spot in the conference
finals for the first time since 1991. Detroit's playoff run ended May 24, when
the
Pistons were swept by the New Jersey Nets in the Eastern Conference finals.



Brown resigned as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday after six
seasons. The 76ers released the Hall of Famer from a contractual clause that
prohibited him from coaching another NBA team if he left Philadelphia
prematurely.



The Pistons (50-32) rallied from a 3-1 deficit against Orlando in the first
round of the playoffs, becoming just the seventh team in NBA history to
advance
after such a deficit. Detroit eliminated the 76ers in the second round.



Counting Detroit, there are seven coaching vacancies in the NBA.



Carlisle had one year left on his contract. He was hired as Detroit's coach
on May 25, 2001, after the team fired George Irvine following a 32-50 season.



Carlisle led the Pistons to a 100-64 regular-season record the last two
seasons and Detroit went 12-15 in two playoff runs. He was honored as NBA
Coach of
the Year for the 2001-02 season.

Carlisle told Bucher on Friday that he didn't know if he wanted to pursue
another coaching position or return to television.

Carlisle's impressive risumi with the Pistons also includes an NBA Coach of
the Year award for the 2001-2002 season, his first season in Detroit.

Carlisle, 42, had one year remaining on his contract for $2 million. The
Pistons decided they did not want to give him an extension.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.




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