Wizards fire Jordan, make Tapscott interim coach

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Eddie Jordan was fired as coach of the Washington Wizards on Monday after opening the season 1-10 without injured starters Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood.

Ed Tapscott, the Wizards' director of player development, will replace Jordan on an interim basis, running his first practice as the team's new head coach Monday morning, a team spokesman said.

The firing was first reported by the Washington Post on its Web site.

Jordan was in his sixth season with the Wizards and led the team to the playoffs each of the past four. In September, shortly before the start of training camp, the Wizards picked up a one-year option to keep him under contract through the 2009-10 season.

He leaves as the Eastern Conference's longest-tenured coach and No. 3 in the NBA behind Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz and Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.