Carlesimo fired

Published 11:20 pm Saturday, November 22, 2008

The losses kept piling up for P.J. Carlesimo, and it didn’t matter which city his team called home.

With the relocated Oklahoma City Thunder off to an NBA-worst 1-12 start, Carlesimo was fired as coach Saturday and replaced on an interim basis by assistant Scott Brooks.

The firing — the first of an NBA coach this season — followed a 105-80 defeat to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night for the Thunder’s 10th straight loss.

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Brooks was to make his debut Saturday night in a rematch with the Hornets in New Orleans, and general manager Sam Presti said he would remain through the end of the season.

The Thunder also let go assistant Paul Westhead.