Mike Brown flying to Sacramento to see kid’s state title games

Mike Brown’s schedule has already proven hectic in this lockout-shortened season.

There’s time between games. He has less flexibility with practice times. And then there’s the dizzying cross-country trips.

On Saturday, the Lakers coach faced an even stiffer challenge. Brown planned to fly to Sacramento on a private plane after Lakers’ practice so that he can squeeze in a pair of state championship games. Nirra Fields, a standout senior guard on the Mater Dei girls’ team whom Brown and his wife Carolyn obtained legal guardianship of last year, will play in a state title game at 6 p.m. against Berkeley at Power Balance Pavilion. Brown’s son Elijah, a junior guard at Santa Ana Mater Dei High, will then try to win a boys’ basketball state title when the Monarchs play Sacramento Shelton.

Somehow Brown will see both games, spend time with them afterward and fly back to Los Angeles before waking up for a coaches meeting Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

“It just feels like what the rest of the regular season feels like right now,� Brown said. “This season has been something else for all of us because of how condensed the games are. Every time you look up, you’re playing again.�

Because of his coaching background, Brown couldn’t help but lend advice to Elijah and Nirra about the need to get rest and fit in gym time for extra shooting sessions. Despite his pedigree, however, Brown doubts the advice has done much.

“They don’t listen to me,� Brown said, laughing. “Somebody off the streets could walk up to them and say, ‘Do this with your jump shot.’ They will say, ‘Dad such and such said I should do this with my jump shot.’ I said, ‘I know I told you to do that 1,600 times.’ I’m just Dad. There are no benefits to being a dad when you’re trying to teach basketball.�

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