The Los Angeles Lakers - Golden State Warriors Game Preview

What a day, what a day. Everyone may have heard that Mike Brown is no longer coaching the Los Angeles Lakers by now, but if not... well... Mike Brown is no longer coaching the Los Angeles Lakers. After being run out of the playoffs in the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder last season it was clear change was coming for the Lakers.

It started with acquiring Steve Nash for the Lamar Odom TPE and a few spare draft picks. Sweet. But now, Steve Nash is hurt and there's no solid time table on just how long he will be wearing suits on the sideline

Then, Andrew Bynum was sent packing to Philadelphia so let his 'fro grow out and join the 76ers as the Lakers added all-NBA center Dwight Howard to their big board of talent. This was the move. THE move. For years it was in the back of every Lakers fans mind, and apparently the Buss family as well. Well, he's here now, but everything to this day has been an exhausting exercise. The Princeton offense required far too many words to defend. For whatever it's worth, the offense is still ranked highly in efficiency and appeared to be at the bottom of the issues these Lakers faced. But in the analysts poured, 1500+ words at a time defending why it still makes sense to take the ball out of the hands of Steve Nash. Describing to the finest detail why Pau Gasol would flourish at the elbow as a point forward, and Kobe Bryant would find levels of effectiveness we could only dream of.

The Princeton is dead, and buried beside it is the hope that Mike Brown could make it all work. As C.A. Clark wrote today, patience and time simply weren't the Lakers cards, and here we are. It's been a day full of nothing but Lakers. At work today almost every co-worker I grind out 40 hours with had to ask me what I thought about Mike Brown being sent packing. I live in upstate New York, about as far as possible I can be from Southern California as can be in the United States.

Win, lose, or not playing at all the Lakers are still the biggest drama in the National Basketball Association.

There's a great basketball game tonight though at Staples Center, believe it or not. The Golden State Warriors are a tough team, though not as tough as can be considering Andrew Bogut will be out for the night. Their prize jewel in the Monta Ellis trade. Still, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and noted Laker abuser Jarrett Jack will be there to finish off a Lakers team that is now without a head coach. Whether or not Mike Brown being fired is the right long term solution matters not tonight, the team has to be spinning considering they just lost the man who has spent all off-season, preseason, and regular season trying to implement an offense that they are now dumping down the drain like spoiled milk. Principles that not longer apply.

This was considered a critical stretch for the Los Angeles Lakers before Mike Brown was fired, and now it seems even more important for reasons beyond the court. Who will the Lakers replace Coach Brown with? Mike D'Antoni? Phil Jackson? Jerry Sloan? How will the players respond to not having a true head coach to run the show? Will this be a breath of fresh air, or a tightening around the neck? This new era of Lakers basketball has been a failed liftoff, if there has been a night to just go out and play for the love of the game, it's tonight for the purple and gold. The future is an unknown entity, which is scary. For fans and players alike.

Lakers, Warriors, Friday night. The weekend is here, but the work is only beginning for the Lakers and the front office. Take a deep breath everybody. Change is coming. Be sure to check out Nate Parham of Golden State of Mind answering five questions about the Golden State Warriors here, and check the counterpart Lakers questions here!

For tickets to the next Lakers game, check out our ticketing partner TiqIQ