Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown has been suspended one game without pay and fined $25,000 for making contact with an official and not leaving the court in a timely manner after he was ejected in Saturday's loss.
Brown was reacting to a no-call when Lakers forward Pau Gasol was stripped of the ball and fell to the floor near the start of the fourth quarter against the Jazz. Brown was whistled for a technical foul with 8:35 remaining for arguing the no-call before appearing to bump into referee Zach Zarba. He was tossed and didn't see the end of the 96-87 loss.
Brown served his suspension Monday when the Lakers fell 95-90 Sixers in Philadelphia.
"I understand it," Brown said after the Lakers' shootaround at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday. "They have a protocol that they have to follow, so I understand it."
Lakers assistant coach John Kuester served as acting head coach in Brown's absence.
"We got a veteran staff, we got veteran players and we're getting a little bit better every game," Brown said before the game. "I put the guys in a hole in Utah. It was a game we still had a chance to win, even though it was a little tight or a little physical down the stretch. I feel confident about this team, especially the way we've played as of late. I think they'll be fine without me."
Brown watched the game from the team hotel, where he said he would have a special meal waiting from him courtesy of Philadelphia native Kobe Bryant.
"Kobe said he's going to take care of me," Brown said. "I love cheesesteaks, so Kobe said he's going to send me one from the best place in Philly, a place called Larry's."
The Sixers game was the third game in the Lakers' six-game road trip, their longest of the season. The Lakers are now 1-2 on the road trip so far.
Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.