Cleveland ? Paul Silas was fired as coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, his team fighting for a playoff spot after leading its division earlier this year. Longtime NBA assistant Brendan Malone was appointed interim coach.

Silas told The Associated Press he was informed at a morning meeting with general manager Jim Paxson and new owner Dan Gilbert. Silas’ son, assistant Stephen Silas, also was fired.

“They didn’t think the team was performing as well as it should be and they wanted to make a change,” Paul Silas said.

Malone’s first game as the Cavaliers’ head coach will be tonight at home against Detroit.

Despite 20-year old superstar LeBron James, fellow All-Star Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a veteran bench, the Cavaliers have struggled since the All-Star break. They have lost nine of 12 and nine straight road games, including Sunday’s 105-98 loss to the Toronto Raptors when James scored a franchise-record 56 points.

“We believe in our players, and that progress just wasn’t being made,” Paxson said at a news conference Monday. “We have 18 games left in this season. We’re fifth in the Eastern Conference right now, and we felt that if we didn’t make this decision that we were jeopardizing our ability to be a playoff team this year.”