5 Signs Mike Brown Has Lost the Los Angeles Lakers

Despite generating five wins in their last six games, the Los Angeles Lakers have been setting a disturbing trend of blowing double-digit leads late in games.

As the team unravels through the course of a game, fans have to ask: Where is Mike Brown?

Starting the season with a roster in flux, Mike Brown's first year on the job has been anything but easy.

The Lakers' third seed in the West will tell you otherwise, but the team is sorely lacking strong leadership from the head coach position.

Here are five signs Mike Brown's grip on the team is slipping.

Team Huddles

For two weeks, the Lakers' resident superstar and superstar-in-the-making have been willfully making news at Mike Brown's expense.

Rewind to the Lakers game versus the Memphis Grizzlies: In a failed attempt to "mix things up," Mike Brown sat living legend Kobe Bryant in crunch time.

Kobe's response? Spending the entirety of Mike Brown's timeout at the scorer's table. And this isn't the first time Bryant has completely dismissed a Coach Brown huddle.

Then, there's Andrew Bynum.

When asked about his fellow superstar's demeanor during team huddles, Bynum quipped:

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"I don't know...I don't take part in the huddles. I'm resting...Getting my zen on."

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Not the kind of focus a well-respected coach should garner from his team's leaders.

Less in-Game Coaching from the Sideline

To start the season, Mike Brown would work up a sweat game-in and game-out.

Regularly barking offensive plays at halfcourt and yelling defensive assignments, Mike Brown was audibly heard during every single Lakers game and could be seen running up and down the floor.

In fact, this was one reason Lakers overlord Jim Buss handpicked Mike Brown to succeed Phil Jackson as the Lakers' next coach. Buss appreciated his active style of coaching contrasted with the Zen Master's calm, Buddhist demeanor.

These days, Mike Brown is much more subdued from the sideline and noticeably more passive than at the start of the season.

Perhaps the players' grasp of his offensive sets and defensive rotations have given Mike Brown less of a job to do during games.

But has he dialed back his in-game directions on account of his team ignoring them?

Inspired Play

Championship contenders on paper, the Lakers always seem to play up or down to their opponents.

Great defensive efforts solidified wins against Eastern powerhouses Miami Heat and Boston Celtics this season.

But when the team's defense fails, it fails miserably.

Uncontested drives down the lane. Blown defensive assignments. Open perimeter shots. Late rotations.

And even more concerning is the Lakers' penchant to blow leads late in games. Where is the fire? Where is the passion?

While Derek Fisher could always be counted on for a private team meeting to rally his troops, Mike Brown simply hasn't earned the respect needed to bring the fire out of his team at critical points of a game or during the season.

Army of Coaches

By design, the Lakers coaching staff has as many qualified hands on deck as possible.

Darvin Ham, Chuck Person, Quinn Snyder, John Kuester, Ettore Messina—they all take part in coaching the Lakers players in games and at practice.

This group-coach philosophy has surely had an impact on Mike Brown's ability to communicate effectively with his players.

His message, substantive or not, gets muted with two-too-many herders on the Lakers ranch.

It's Officially Kobe Bryant's Team

Player-coach-closer would be the best way to describe Kobe Bryant's role on this Lakers team.

Kobe can be seen throughout the game pointing players in the right direction on defense, setting up plays on offense and putting all the X's and O's together for his soldiers out on the court.

Nothing new, and as it should be.

But after Benchgate, where Mike Brown sat Bryant in the fourth quarter, Mamba let the world know, including Mike Brown, whose team this really was:

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"I can’t sit here and criticize his decisions. As the leader of this ball club, that’s something I can’t afford to do"

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Kobe wasn't falling in line with his comment. He was drawing it.

Mike Brown will think twice next time he takes Bryant out of a game. Like he said, No. 24 is the leader of this ballclub. He's playing fourth quarters from here on out.

Can Brown Regain His Standing?

As a first-year coach tasked with re-energizing a championship team of veterans set in their ways under the highly critical microscope of the Los Angeles media, did Mike Brown even stand a chance?

Replacing a coaching legend in Phil Jackson is one thing, but doing it under the anxious circumstances the Lakers found themselves in to start the season is entirely different.

Thus far, his efforts have to be respected. That still doesn't mean they've been effective.

But not all is lost. Players win championships. Defense wins championships. Last time I checked, the Lakers have the best closer in the game and the most defensive-minded coach in the game.

How's that for drama.

The sideshow will continue in L.A., and whether in the front seat or in the back seat, Mike Brown will still be along for the wild ride.