Lakers coach Phil Jackson purchased books for his players before their eight-game road trip, something he does annually when the club has a long winter trip on the schedule.

Kobe Bryant, who doesn't usually end up reading Jackson's literary suggestions was given "Montana 1948," a Larry Watson novel about a family torn apart by scandal.

"He never reads my books so I got him a book about Montana," Jackson said. "I'm not looking forward to having a review from him. It was about a part of the country I grew up in, so it was something special for me to give it to him."