The Washington Wizards fired coach Flip Saunders on Tuesday in a move one could hardly characterize a surprise, given their 2-15 record and 0-8 start to the 2011/12 season. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports firing Saunders and replacing him with interim coach Randy Wittman is simply the start of something bigger going on in Washington. Citing sources, Berger says "widespread changes are expected" once the season ends.
In Saunders' last game, a 20-point drubbing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, "tempers flared" as some players expressed displeasure with being benched in the first half, during which Philadelphia ballooned its lead to as high as 30 points. After the game, "players were informed" that Washington would make a coaching change, according to Berger.
Saunders' tenure in Washington ends with a 51-130 record over two-plus seasons. His winning percentage of .282 is the worst in franchise history among coaches with at least 150 games.
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