76ers Expect Brown Back Today

For the third consecutive game, the Philadelphia 76ers were without Coach Larry Brown on Tuesday when they faced the Clippers at Staples Center. Brown is scheduled is rejoin the team today in Phoenix after medical tests confirmed that he has acid reflux and a hiatal hernia, which can be treated with medication and changes in diet.

For Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry, who considers Brown a close friend, the news couldn’t have been better.

“He is my mentor,” said Gentry, who coached with Brown as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs from 1988-90 and at Kansas from 1985-88. “He along with Doug Collins are the guys I go to whenever I have questions. Whatever he says to me means a lot.”

Gentry said Brown is the consummate coach and that’s the reason the 76ers have the league’s best record this season.

“[Brown has] the ability to make guys overachieve,” Gentry said. “He can take even a great player like Allen [Iverson] and make him overachieve. . . . The thing about Larry is that he instills confidence in everyone.”

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After sitting out the last five games because of a suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug program, Lamar Odom was full of energy 90 minutes before the start of Tuesday’s game.

“I’m a little bit nervous, it’s like my first game,” he said. “I feel like I’m about to play Seattle [the opponent in Odom’s first NBA game as a rookie last season] again. This is the longest break I’ve had [in two seasons]. . . . It feels longer [than five games] because they were on the road and the games have been spaced out for the first time this season. But I’m definitely ready.”

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Another Clipper who returned to the lineup Tuesday was rookie guard Quentin Richardson, who sat out the previous two games because of a viral infection.

“I lost some weight because I didn’t eat until two days ago,” Richardson said. “It was the longest break I’ve had since training camp but it wasn’t good because I was sick the whole time. I would have rather been practicing.”

The news wasn’t all good for the Clippers, however, because swingman Corey Maggette did not dress because of a sprained left ankle. Maggette said he hopes to play Thursday night against the Houston Rockets.