THE SIDELINES : Adubato Mavericks Head Coach

DALLAS — Mavericks today named Richie Adubato head coach until the end of the season, replacing John MacLeod, who was fired last Wednesday.

“We feel that Richie is the right man to take this team through the rest of the season,” said Mavericks vice president Rick Sund. “He’s got a very good feel for the game, and he’s ready for this challenge.”

Sund said Adubato was offered the job Wednesday afternoon, hours after MacLeod was let go. He said Adubato reached his decision over the weekend and assumed full head coaching responsibilities as of today.

Adubato, 52, is in his fourth season as an assistant with the Mavericks. He acted as interim head coach starting Wednesday night and is now 2-1 in that role.

This season is Adubato’s 12th in the NBA.