Toronto Raptors fire head coach Sam Mitchell.

[Lunatic]

The Toronto Raptors have fired head coach Sam Mitchell after an 8-9 start to the season. He will be replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Jay Triano.

The team is coming off its most lopsided loss of the season, a 132-93 defeat Tuesday night in Denver. It was the fifth worst in team history.

Mitchell, hired by the Raptors prior to the 2004-05 season, was the team's longest tenured coach and also had the most wins in franchise history. He also earned coach of the year honours in 2006-07.

Triano, a Tillsonburg, Ont., native raised in Niagara Falls, became the NBA's first Canadian-born coach when he joined the Raptors and served as assistant to Lenny Wilkens and Kevin O'Neill prior to Mitchell. Triano also served as head coach for one game on Feb. 13, 2008, following the death of Mitchell's father-in-law. Triano led the Raptors to 109-91 victory over the New Jersey Nets

DAMN!

[MoodMuzik]

its wat they needed

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

bound to happen considering there was high expectations for them, they're only 8-9, and got completely destroyed by Denver last night.

i wonder who they'll hire as their new coach.

[Chamillitary Click]

dont worry, we share the same record, but we'll turn it around, we got the talent too...

[Lunatic]

I am definitely disappointed with the slow start but didn't see this coming. That is the beauty of Colangelo though. He doesn't wait for results. He expects them right away and ain't afraid to make a move.

[Antonio]

I'm in shock!

[7even]

Well, they were underachieving. It is what it is.

[OchoCinco]

me and my buddy were thinkin this might happen so im not really that suprised.

[OG Hack Wilson]

kinda surprised this early

[GangstaBoogy]

Didn't see this coming.

['EclipZe]

not as excepted but hey, shit can happen.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

LOL...he was just the coach of the year 2 years ago. Why blame the coach? I knew Toronto would lose a dimension when they got rid of TJ Ford. Calderon is nice and everything, but Toronto was better with a 1-2 point guard punch than a 1-2 big man punch.

[Antonio]

LOL...he was just the coach of the year 2 years ago. Why blame the coach?

Exactly.

[7even]

So was Avery Johnson, and he clearly was part of the problem in Dallas. The biggest part, even. If it weren't for that Kidd trade, Dallas would be kicking some major ass with a different coach. I'd even go as far as saying Avery should have been fired right after his COTY year. Fuck him.

[wcsoldier]

Toronto is a 0.50 team for 3 years and that's about  it , no legit 2nd option and absolutely no one is able to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim ... way too many spot up shooters on this team and their D badly sucks ... they need to pull off a trade to improve , if not Bosh will leave in 2010