Sixers notes: Brett Brown hopes to be coaching in the NBA a long time

With the 76ers facing the San Antonio Spurs, it is always a reunion of Sixers coach Brett Brown and his mentor Gregg Popovich.

Brown worked two stints with the Spurs totaling 12 seasons, including the last seven as an assistant coach, before being named the Sixers’ head coach in August 2013.

Before Friday’s game at the Wells Fargo Center against the Spurs, Brown talked about job security, or lack of it, and job longevity.

Brown, now in his seventh season guiding the Sixers, was asked if he hopes to coach in the NBA as long as Popovich, who is into his 24th year as San Antonio’s head coach.

“I hope so,” Brown said. “I said candidly, in Philadelphia my job has been in question since the day I took it and it is just the life that I live.”

Brown then expanded on the lack of security an NBA coach has and how much having the job means to him.

“I am kind of immune to it and everybody ends up having an [expiration] day, whether that is my terms or somebody else’s," Brown said. "I love coaching in this city, and love the people in this locker room and am proud of what we built in a culture perspective. We have navigated landmines for seven years and now have a team we’re proud of and we feel can compete.”

Popovich, when asked about Brown always seemingly being on the hot seat, at least among the fans, spoke up loud and clear for his former assistant.

“Fans don’t know crap who should be the coach or shouldn’t be the coach,” Popovich said before the game. “Brett is one helluva guy. He is the most positive guy I have ever known in my life. He is going to work his [butt] off. And you [the fans] should be glad he is your coach.”

For the second game in a row, the Sixers were without starting guard Josh Richardson, who remained out with right hip flexor tightness. Richardson started the first 13 games and is third on the team in scoring, averaging 14.8 points.

Furkan Korkmaz once again started in place of Richardson.

A Sixers official says the team is optimistic Richardson will be available for Saturday’s home game against his former team, the Miami Heat. The official said the Sixers aren’t ready to say for sure that Richardson will play, so he will likely be listed as questionable.