Milwaukee ? Milwaukee Bucks management was grading Terry Stotts on a curve because he had to handle so many key injuries this season. That still wasn’t enough for him to keep his job.

The Bucks fired Stotts on Wednesday after less than two full seasons with the team. His replacement is assistant Larry Krystkowiak, who agreed to a multiyear deal and will be introduced at a news conference today.

Krystkowiak’s first game as an NBA head coach comes against San Antonio tonight.

“We’re excited to move ahead with Larry as our new head coach,” Bucks general manager Larry Harris said.

Milwaukee is last in the Central Division at 23-41 and among the NBA’s worst defensive teams.

“Terry has done the best he could in a difficult situation, especially with all of our injuries,” Harris said. “I felt it was in the best interest of our organization to make the decision now and move forward, rather than wait until the end of the regular season.”

Krystkowiak, 42, was originally hired by the Bucks in June 2006 as an assistant to Stotts after coaching at his alma mater, the University of Montana – where he guided the team to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a first-round upset over Nevada in 2006. He also coached in the CBA.

His promotion comes at a time when he was being mentioned as a candidate for the open coaching job at the University of Utah.

Krystkowiak thanked Stotts for giving him the opportunity to come to Milwaukee.

“Becoming an NBA head coach was my number one goal when I went into coaching, and I welcome the challenges that lie ahead of me,” said Krystkowiak, who played nine seasons in the NBA, including four in Milwaukee. “This team has a great deal of potential, and I’m eager to move forward.”

Stotts’ firing came as a surprise to Bucks players. He ran practice Wednesday, and player Michael Redd left the team’s practice facility without knowing his coach was being fired.

Redd said a member of the team’s management called him later in the day.

“I’m obviously saddened by the fact that he’s not going to be here anymore,” Redd said. “I hate to see anyone lose their job. Terry did the best he could with what he had for our team. It just didn’t work out.”

At least one player apparently wasn’t told at all.

“This is the first I heard about it,” said Lynn Greer, a free agent acquired in the offseason. “We had practice, and Terry ran practice. I had a great time playing under him. He knew his X’s and O’s. He had a tough time with the injuries, but I haven’t got a bad thing to say about him.”

The Bucks were racked by injuries this season, and at one point in mid-January were playing without four players who were projected as starters going into the season.