Minneapolis ? In a season and a half with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dwane Casey became known for his even-keeled demeanor, never getting too high or too low.

His team never could capture that same consistency on the court, which ultimately led to the coach’s ouster.

Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale fired Casey on Tuesday, one day after Minnesota lost its fourth consecutive game.

“We were at a point as a team where we were just treading water,” McHale said. “The ups and downs, we just couldn’t find any consistency.”

The month of January was a microcosm of Casey’s tenure.

The Timberwolves looked to be turning the corner at the start of the new year, when they opened 2007 with seven wins in their first eight games.

But they lost their next four games, including one to Phoenix without leading scorers Kevin Garnett and Ricky Davis, who were suspended.