Assistant coach Tom Barrise, who is in his 14th season with the Nets as a coach and scout, replaced Frank for the game against the Lakers. Barrise and three other members of Frank's staff, Doug Overton, Roy Rogers and John Loyer, all are candidates to succeed Frank for the remainder of the season. Thorn hoped to have an interim head coach in place for Wednesday's home game against Dallas and Jason Kidd.

Speculation about Frank's status has been rampant, and several reports said he would be fired when the team returned from the four-game western trip that concluded in Los Angeles. Thorn did not wait for Frank to return.

"I want to thank Lawrence for his more than a decade of service to the Nets, first as an assistant coach and then as the head coach for the past 6 1/2 seasons," Thorn said in the statement released by the team. "Lawrence always approached every day with a passion for his craft that was infectious, and his dedication to the game as well as his work ethic are to be both admired and appreciated. I wish (him) and his family only the best of good fortune in the future."

Frank compiled a 225-241 (.488) head coaching record and was 18-20 in playoff games. He is the team's all-time NBA coaching leader with 225 wins.

LAKERS 106, NETS 87: The winless Nets tied the NBA's all-time worst start with their 17th straight loss, which also established a franchise-high losing streak. The injury-ravaged and emotionally spent Nets, whose head coach, Lawrence Frank, was fired earlier in the day, were never in the game after the opening minutes as the world champs led by as many as 34 points. Brook Lopez had 26 points and 12 rebounds -- his eighth double-double of the season -- in the loss.