The Buck Stotts here

But just like any other sport, injuries are inevitable and someone has to take the blame when the team fails to produce. Stotts is a perfect example of being dealt a bad hand this season, especially when star Michael Redd was out for quite some time and Charlie Villanueva suffering through the injury bug.

Stotts guided the Bucks into the playoffs last season and finished his tenure in Milwaukee with a less-than-stellar 63-83 record. Stotts, the ninth head coach in franchise history, will be replaced by assistant Larry Krystkowiak, who will make his debut on Thursday versus the visiting San Antonio Spurs.

"I’m extremely excited to have been given the chance to lead and develop such a young and talented team," Krystkowiak said. "I want to thank Senator Kohl and (GM) Larry Harris for this terrific opportunity. 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. This team has a great deal of potential and I’m eager to move forward.

"I would also be remiss if I did not thank Terry Stotts for the opportunity he gave me by bringing me to Milwaukee as an assistant. He believed in my abilities and for that I’m grateful."

Krystkowiak also got dealt a bad hand, so to speak, since the Spurs will carry a 13-game winning streak into the Bradley Center. San Antonio is unbeaten in its last seven road games, too. However, the Bucks beat the Spurs on December 26 this season at the AT&T Center thanks to Redd’s 36 points.

Milwaukee is currently in the midst of a seven-game homestand — the third- longest stretch in team history — and owns a 1-2 mark so far. It is also in the basement of the Central Division with a dismal 23-41 record, and next to last in the Eastern Conference standings (Boston 19-45).

Besides showing Stotts the door on Wednesday, it was announced that Bucks center Andrew Bogut was fined $25,000 for an obscene gesture he made towards the Milwaukee fans after being ejected in Monday’s loss to Toronto. The top pick of the 2005 NBA Draft has apologized, but will leave a lasting impression with some fans for years to come.

Bogut is averaging 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in 64 games this season. Bogut and the Bucks will resume their homestand versus the Spurs, Bobcats, Clippers and Pistons.