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Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the 7 greatest coaches since 1980

By Eric Hirsch

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers slaps hands with Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half in Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers slaps hands with Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half in Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images – Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images – Los Angeles Lakers /

Top 7 Los Angeles Lakers head coaches since 1980: 7. Mike Brown

Mike Brown gained prominence as the head coach of a young LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-2010. He helped the Cavs win 60-plus games twice not to mention an NBA Finals appearance in 2007. In addition, the defensive-minded Brown was named the NBA Coach of the Year in 2009. Though he failed to bring a title to Cleveland and was fired in 2010, Brown enjoyed a sterling reputation as one of the league’s best young coaches.

In 2011, the Los Angeles Lakers famously hired Brown to replace Phil Jackson. While Jackson’s departure followed a first-round sweep at the hands of the Mavericks, the Lakers were still fresh off three Finals appearances and two titles in the previous four years. Brown acquired a talented roster with a championship pedigree that included Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Metta World Peace (now Metta Sandiford-Artest).

In the shortened 2011-2012 season, Brown led the Lakers to a respectable 41-25 record and the 3-seed in the Western Conference. While Bryant and Gasol provided their usual All-Star level production for the Lakers, the emergence of young center, Andrew Bynum was the season’s most promising development.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers faced the Denver Nuggets. Perhaps thanks to Brown’s defensive acumen, the Lakers held the Nuggets to 100 points or less in five of the series’ seven games. Los Angeles used a stalwart defensive performance to beat Denver 96-87 in Game 7 to advance to the Conference Semi-Finals against the Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder. Powered by the youthful trio of Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, the Thunder easily dispatched the Lakers in five games.

Although Brown helped the Lakers advance one round further than the previous year, the expectations for the 2012-13 season heightened after the off-season acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. Following a winless preseason and a 1-4 regular-season start, Brown was fired. Despite his brief tenure as the Lakers’ head coach, Brown’s 42-29 overall record and singular Conference Semi-Finals appearance were just enough to earn him a spot in these rankings.

BEST SEASON

2011-12: 41-25; 3-seed; Lost 4-1 to OKC Thunder in Western Conference Semi-Finals

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