Skiles

CHICAGO (Reuters):

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.

Crushing defeat

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' centre, 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.