The Mike Brown Era

May 25, 2011: Lakers agree to hire former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown. The decision to hire Brown to replace Phil Jackson was made mostly by Jim Buss, son of team owner Jerry Buss. Brown posted a 272-138 record in five seasons with the Cavaliers and LeBron James, but he failed to win a championship and was fired after the 2010 season. Other finalists for the Lakers coaching job were longtime assistant coach Brian Shaw and veteran NBA coach Rick Adelman.

May 31, 2011: “We are not going to run the triangle offense,” Brown said at his introductory news conference, referring to Jackson’s offensive scheme. Brown plans on more plays in the high post for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. “I’m excited about this roster,” Brown said.

Dec. 8, 2011: After a lengthy NBA lockout, the Lakers are on a verge of pulling off a trade for All-Star point guard Chris Paul only to see Commissioner David Stern kill the three-team trade. The Lakers were set to trade Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom to get Paul.

Dec. 10, 2011: Lakers trade Odom to Dallas. Odom was disturbed that he was part of the voided Paul trade.

Dec. 25, 2011: Brown makes his regular season debut as Lakers coach. But Chicago comes away with an 88-87 victory at Staples Center as the Lakers blow a six point lead in the final minute. “Obviously there were a lot of things that went wrong down the stretch,” Brown said.

Jan. 22, 2102: The Lakers lose to Indiana, 98-96, as they fail to reach 100 points for the 11th straight game, their worst skid since the 2003-04 season. “Our sense of urgency was just nonexistent,” Brown said.

Jan. 28, 2012: Lakers fall to 1-7 on the road as they lose against the short-handed Bucks, and set a team record with their 13th consecutive game under 100 points. Not since 1953-54, the season before the shot clock, were they this futile. “That was tough to watch us not be able to finish when we had the ball in the paint,” Brown said.

Feb. 21, 2012: Various Lakers have complained about Brown’s extra-long practice sessions. He acknowledges long on-court sessions because there was so little practice time in the lockout-shortened schedule, but he has reduced them. Metta World Peace also complained about his uneven playing time, referring to Brown as being “all stats.”

March 4, 2012: Lakers play one of their strongest games of the season, beating Miami, 93-83. “Mike Brown has made them a better defensive team,” Dwyane Wade said of the Lakers’ coach.

April 26, 2012: Lakers finish the regular season with a 41-25 record and are the 3rd seed in the West. They face Denver in the opening round of the playoffs.

May 13, 2012: Lakers lose a 16-point lead in the third-quarter but end up beating Denver, 96-87, in Game 7 and advance to play Oklahoma City. Before the game Magic Johnson said the Lakers need to win to save Brown’s job. Lakers management issues a statement before tipoff saying, “We are fully committed to and supportive of Mike Brown as head coach of the Lakers.”

May 21, 2012: Lakers’ season ends when they lose in five games to the more athletic Thunder. Kobe Bryant scores 42 points but gets little help in the 106-90 Game 5 loss.

July 4, 2012: It’s a happy holiday for Lakers fans as the team reaches a deal to acquire two-time MVP Steve Nash.

Aug. 9, 2012: Oddsmakers make the Lakers a co-favorite, with Miami, to win the 2013 NBA title after they land All-Star center Dwight Howard in a four-team deal that sends Bynum to Philadelphia.

Oct. 30, 2012: Lakers lose their season opener to Dallas and fans start calling for Brown to be fired.

Nov. 8, 2012: Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak concedes: “Expectations are high, there’s no doubt. The city is impatient.”

Nov. 9, 2012: Kupchak tells Brown he’s fired.