Lakers coach Mike Brown is expected to return to the sideline for the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday after he left the team prior to Friday night’s game.
Los Angeles Times beat writer Mike Bresnahan tweeted Friday night that Brown would return to the bench Sunday, citing an unnamed team official.
Brown left the team before tipoff for undisclosed “personal reasons,” according to reports.
The coach did attend his regular meeting with reporters before their game against the Denver Nuggets, but left shortly before the game started.
Assistant coach John Kuester coached the Lakers to a 103-97 win.
“You can tell that these guys went out tonight and wanted to represent Mike Brown as best they could, and that’s what they did,” Kuester said of his players after the game, according to the Associated Press.
Center Andrew Bynum led the way with 30 points, and Matt Barnes contributed with 24 points off the bench. They were also without Kobe Bryant, who missed his fourth straight game to rest a bruised shin.
“We just know it’s something personal with the family,” Barnes said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “So we wish him the best and we tried to get the win for him.”
Brown is in his first year as head coach of the Lakers (38-22), who currently own the top spot in the Pacific Division.
As of Saturday, the Lakers sat in third place in the Western Conference, behind the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
-With Associated Press
