Assistant Gar Heard has taken over coaching duties for the reigning National Basketball Association champion Detroit Pistons after coach Larry Brown underwent another surgical procedure.

Brown will be out indefinitely following the operation, which he said was related to the hip surgery he underwent last November that caused him to miss six games. The Pistons went 2-4 under Heard during that span.

"I don't know when I'll be back, but hopefully it'll be sooner than later," said Brown, who has limped through much of the season.

Brown, 64, guided the United States Olympic team to a bronze medal last year at Athens after masterminding Detroit's upset of the Los Angeles Lakers in last year's NBA Final.

Brown's absence came with the Pistons at 38-23, leading their division by 4 1/2 games but trailing Miami by 8 1/2 games for the best record overall in the Eastern Conference.

Brown is the only coach in NBA history to lead six different clubs into the playoffs and has more than 1,000 career victories in the college and pro ranks. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. 

(Agencies)