CHICAGO (AP) Scott Skiles was hired Friday as coach of the struggling Chicago Bulls.

Skiles, the former coach of the Phoenix Suns, replaces Bill Cartwright, who was fired Monday after the team got off to a 4-10 start.

Skiles, 39, had a 116-79 record as coach of the Suns from 1999-02, and was 5-8 in the playoffs. His in-the-face style reportedly created friction with some of his players, most notably Jason Kidd, before he quit in February 2002. He has not coached since.

The Bulls won 30 games last season under Cartwright, only six fewer than their total in the previous two seasons combined. But their hope entering a new season quickly evaporated.

Prep-to-pro projects Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler were expected to build on the progress they made at the end of last season, and Scottie Pippen's return was supposed to add veteran leadership.

Instead, the Bulls lost three of their first four games by an average of 27 points, including back-to-back 30-point blowouts. Then came their annual early-season five-game road trip to the West. After they lost their first three, general manager John Paxson fired Cartwright, his former teammate.

Pete Myers served two games as interim coach, during which the Bulls stretched their losing streak to seven games.