Bristow Fired by 4-42 Nuggets

His grand plan a colossal flop, Allan Bristow took the fall for the Denver Nuggets’ 4-42 record.

Bristow, the Nuggets’ embattled vice president of basketball operations, was fired late Wednesday by Charlie Lyons, president of the company that owns the Nuggets.

“Losing at a level of 4-42 was never considered acceptable,” said Lyons, president of Ascent Entertainment Group Inc.

Bristow, hired 51 weeks ago to replace Bernie Bickerstaff, designed a rebuilding program for one of the NBA’s worst franchises that prescribed short-term pain in the interest of long-term gain.

During his tenure, he dismissed Dick Motta as coach at the end of last season and replaced him with longtime friend Bill Hanzlik. He jettisoned long-term contracts in a series of trades in order to clear room under the salary cap for future free-agent signings, but he left the current roster woefully short of talent.

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In a high-profile ending to the eight-day Latrell Sprewell arbitration case, Commissioner David Stern testified for almost four hours in New York in an effort to uphold the harshest non-drug penalty he has ever imposed.

“I’m very comfortable with our action,” he said of Sprewell’s one-year suspension. “My job is to protect this league and the 400-plus players who never get involved in activity like the kind we are litigating, and I feel comfortable that I’ve acquitted myself the way I’m supposed to.”

Stern’s testimony, which followed the questioning of three NBA security personnel, brought a conclusion to a hearing that lasted eight days over two weeks in Portland, Ore., and New York.

Post-hearing briefs are due by Feb. 13, and closing arguments will be made Feb. 16 in New York. Arbitrator John Feerick will then have 30 days to rule on Sprewell’s two grievances.