INQUIRER Sports

DETROIT - Michael Curry was fired Tuesday as coach of the NBA's Detroit Pistons, his departure coming just one day before the start of the league's free agent signing period.

The Pistons had reached the Eastern Conference finals for six consecutive seasons but went 39-43 in Curry's first season as coach and were drummed out of the play-offs in the first round by Cleveland without winning a game.

"This was a difficult decision to make," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said. "I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change."

Dumars dumped his former team-mate two months after assuring that he would return and faced major questions about who might take over as coach and when as the final hours ticked away before free agent offers went on the table.

The Pistons traded point guard Chauncey Billups to Denver last November for Allen Iverson, but struggled through the season while the Nuggets improved with Billups to reach the Western Conference finals.

Dumars fired coach Flip Saunders last year despite his guiding Detroit to the East finals in each of his three seasons, one of them with Curry as an assistant.

Curry played for the Pistons from 1995-1997 and 1999-2003, having also spent time with Milwaukee, Toronto, Washington, Philadelphia and Indiana before retiring in 2005.