Cheeks was fired Sunday after 50 games, with his team 21-29 and a half-game out of the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff berth. The final tidbit is less impressive because of the poor performances of teams in the East this season. But it's worth noting Cheeks' team is three games better than last season's squad at this point.

That's not what the Pistons were expecting. They signed forward Josh Smith and traded for point guard Brandon Jennings over the summer, trying to bolster a roster that included young big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe.

The result wasn't up to snuff.

"Our record does not reflect our talent and we simply need a change," Pistons owner Tom Gores said Sunday. "We have not made the kind of progress that we should have over the first half of the season. This is a young team and we knew there would be growing pains, but we can be patient only as long as there is progress."

Reports indicated assistant John Loyer would become as interim coach.

The decision was surprising in particular because it followed four wins in six games, including blowout victories over the Nets and Nuggets. Now Loyer must get the Pistons tuned up for Monday's game against the Spurs.

Team president Joe Dumars called Cheeks' firing "a difficult decision" and said the franchise had "great respect for Maurice and appreciate his hard work."

So what went wrong? Cheeks in part was the victim of bloated expectations, especially from Gores. It was the owner who made the decision to sack Cheeks, the Detroit News reported. Reason: Cheeks was seen as not able to make the improvements deemed possible, if not mandatory. It's also believed the team's inability to hold late leads contributed to his undoing.

Loyer will keep the coaching seat warm while the Pistons seek Cheeks' replacement. No one has kept the job for more than two years since the team's last playoff appearance.

Who's next? Former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins and Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson are possibilities, the News reported.


DURANT GOES OFF AGAIN


Kevin Durant keeps piling up points, with 41 in Sunday's victory over the Knicks. Even better, he outscored his closest rival among points leaders. Big time.

Carmelo Anthony had 15 while laying bricks at a 5-for-19 clip. Guess who was guarding him? Yep, Durant.

"He missed some shots that he normally makes," Durant said. "I just tried to play as strong as I can, contest some shots and not get discouraged when he hits them because he makes tough shots and he's a guy that can get hot. I just try to rely on my teammates, and they did a great job of helping me out, building a wall behind me, and I just tried to play as hard as I can."

It's a coincidence (maybe) there was an earthquake in central Oklahoma on Sunday, magnitude 4.1.

Durant certainly is on a ground-shaking run. He has at least 25 points and four-plus assists in 18 consecutive games. According to Elias Sports, it's the longest such streak in 40 years. He added 10 rebounds and nine assists.


NASH INJURED AGAIN


Lakers point guard Steve Nash, playing his third game after missing 39 because of a nerve problem in his back, left Sunday's game against the Bulls with five minutes left in the third quarter because of irritation in his left leg.

The 18-year veteran and two-time MVP, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Friday with a team-high 19 points in a 112-98 victory at Philadelphia, was hit on his left leg, the same leg he fractured last season.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Nash's ailment on Sunday was nerve-related irritation. In October 2012, when Nash originally injured the leg, he suffered nerve damage in addition to a fracture.

"It was just getting worse lately," Nash said. "But I wanted to play, especially when we are losing. You want to try to fight through it. I've been through that before and I know where it goes, so I didn't want to risk it. I think it was the smartest decision to come out."

There's currently no information on how long Nash could be out. 

Contributors: Ray Slover, The Associated Press