Lakers Fire Head Coach After Poor Start - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

SWXRIGHTNOW.COM - The Los Angeles Lakers are only five games into the regular season, and are already making a big personnel change.

After their 1-4 start to the 2012-13 season, the Lakers announced Friday they have fired head coach Mike Brown. General manager Mitch Kupchak said through the team's website, "this was a difficult and painful decision to make."

The Lakers have had their fair share of difficulties in the past few games including several key players playing through injuries, among them rick Nash, Dwight Howard, and Kobe Bryant.

Assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff will assume the interim head coaching position while the team explores their options for a full time replacement. The Lakers will play their first game without Brown on Friday night against the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles.