Philadelphia ? Maurice Cheeks is running the show again for the Philadelphia 76ers.

In a surprising move nearly three weeks following the end of their season, the Sixers fired Jim O’Brien on Monday after one season as coach and replaced him with Cheeks, one of the most popular players in franchise history.

“Mo is family. Mo bleeds 76ers. He bleeds Philadelphia,” team president Billy King said.

Cheeks will be introduced as Philadelphia’s 21st head coach at a news conference today.

Philadelphia is certainly banking on the former point guard to have a happier homecoming than O’Brien, a Philadelphia native who played for Saint Joseph’s. O’Brien’s stubbornness and seemingly unwavering belief in a system that didn’t fit his players cost him his job despite a 43-39 record and a return to the playoffs.

“I just felt the direction we were going and the overall play wasn’t where we wanted to go,” King said.

O’Brien just finished the first year of a three-year deal that included an option and paid him about $4 million a year. O’Brien, though, was not very popular with his players – most notably former All-Star Chris Webber – who often complained about roles.

Cheeks will be the fifth Sixers coach in four years. Larry Brown left for Detroit following the 2002-03 season, and assistant Randy Ayers was promoted and fired 52 games into the 2003-04 season before he was replaced by Chris Ford.