Detroit Pistons fire coach

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 30 (UPI) -- The Detroit Pistons fired Coach Michael Curry Tuesday, just one year after being hired and two months after getting a vote of confidence.

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

Dumars held a news conference in late April to state Curry would return to the Pistons in 2009-10 despite a disappointing first season as the team's coach.

In his single season as coach of the perennial championship contenders, Curry led the Pistons to a 39-43 record, good for No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit was swept in the first round of the playoffs by top-seeded Cleveland, which won each game by double digits. Previously, the Pistons had six straight trips to the East finals.

Curry had replaced Flip Saunders, who was fired after the 2007-08 season despite making three consecutive Eastern Conference finals appearances.