Los Angeles  - Unhappy with their slow start, the Toronto Raptors fired coach Sam Mitchell on Wednesday, replacing him with assistant Jay Triano on an interim basis.

"This is a difficult but necessary step the franchise must take," Raptors President and general manager Bryan Colangelo said in a statement on the team's website. "We appreciate all that Sam has done for the organization. We applaud him for his successes and wish him nothing but the best with his future in basketball."

Los Angeles  - Unhappy with their slow start, the Toronto Raptors fired coach Sam Mitchell on Wednesday, replacing him with assistant Jay Triano on an interim basis.

"This is a difficult but necessary step the franchise must take," Raptors President and general manager Bryan Colangelo said in a statement on the team's website. "We appreciate all that Sam has done for the organization. We applaud him for his successes and wish him nothing but the best with his future in basketball."

TORONTO, Dec. 3 -- The Toronto Raptors fired Coach Sam Mitchell Wednesday following the team's 8-9 record starting the 2008-09 season.

The move was made a day after a 132-93 loss to the Nuggets in Denver and a 112-99 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Monday.

"This is a difficult but necessary step the franchise must take," said team President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. "We appreciate all that Sam has done for the organization, applaud him for his successes and wish him nothing but the best with his future in basketball."