Report: Lakers Defend Mike Brown Against Magic Johnson's Firing Rumor

Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson caused quite a stir yesterday when he decreed that coach Mike Brown would be fired if the Lakers lost Game 7 to the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers have since fired back by releasing a statement to support Brown, according to SI's Sam Amick.

"The opinion expressed yesterday by Magic Johnson regarding Mike Brown was his personal opinion and was made in his role as a TV analyst," the team said in the statement. "His words were not made on behalf of the Los Angeles Lakers, and in no way do they reflect the feelings or position of team ownership or management. We are fully committed to and supportive of Mike Brown as head coach of the Lakers."

Johnson posited that Brown's job was in jeopardy after the Lakers lost Game 6 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series, letting the Nuggets push them to a seventh game after being up 3-1. The Lakers face the Nuggets tonight in the deciding Game 7.