SuperSonics Fire Westphal

S E A T T L E, Nov. 27 -- Paul Westphal was fired today as coach ofstruggling Seattle SuperSonics, who were expected to be a powerthis season with the acquisition of Patrick Ewing.

Nate McMillan will be the interim head coach, taking over a teamthat is 6-9.

The dismissal came less than a week after Westphal got into ashouting match on the court with star guard Gary Payton in a gamein Dallas. The team initially suspended Payton but lifted thesuspension before it took effect.

Offered to Resign Earlier

The SuperSonics did not immediately say why they fired Westphal,who had been criticized this season by several of his players.

Westphal, who was in his third year with the team, is the firstNBA coach to be fired this season.

Westphal offered to resign Nov. 6 — just four games into theseason. Sonics President and General Manager Wally Walker saidWestphal was frustrated by his team’s bickering and insubordinationbut that players had talked Westphal out of quitting.

With the addition of Ewing, the Sonics were expected tobe one of the top teams in the Western Conference this season.

Instead, Seattle has struggled with inconsistency through itsfirst 15 games.

Ewing is Seattle’s first legitimate center since Jack Sikma leftafter the 1986 season.

In his 16th season, Ewing was averaging 32.9 minutes, 10.6points and 8.8 rebounds with the Sonics going into the Dallas game.He averaged 15.0 points and 9.7 rebounds for the Knicks lastseason.

Besides Ewing and Payton, the Sonics also feature Vin Baker aswell as young-and-improving Rashard Lewis and top draft choiceDesmond Mason. Ruben Patterson and Brent Barry are key players,too.

In 1993, Westphal coached Phoenix to the NBA Finals. Three yearslater, after 33 games that season, he was fired by the Suns.