By JEFF EISENBERG, The Press-Enterprise

When Kobe Bryant's team emerged from a timeout trailing by one in the final seconds of a USA Basketball intrasquad game almost three years ago, more was at stake than just bragging rights among some of the sport's biggest stars.

Riding on the outcome of that final possession was also the name of a Sacramento couple's first-born son.

Before his team embarked on its eight-game, 13-day journey on Wednesday afternoon, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson gave each of his players books to read during the trip as he does every year.

There's never an ideal occasion to lose a starter to injury, but Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson admitted the timing of Ron Artest's absence is especially poor.

What already would have been a taxing five-day stretch against four mostly up-tempo teams has become even more strenuous with Artest sidelined.

LOS ANGELES - As someone who played in three of the NBA's most memorable Christmas Day games, former New York Knicks guard Trent Tucker admits selecting his most cherished holiday memory is as tough as picking his favorite child.

LOS ANGELES - As the Chicago Bulls recover from the humiliation of squandering a 35-point third-quarter lead against Sacramento on Monday, here's something that will probably only add to their misery.

Their collapse provided their former coach with fodder for his latest teaching point.

CHICAGO - At a time when many public figures are going to great lengths to keep their transgressions of the past hidden, Ron Artest continues to take the opposite approach.

LOS ANGELES - Forgive Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson for quickly shooting down Commissioner David Stern's assertion that a woman may play in the NBA in the next decade, but Jackson has firsthand evidence to support his argument.

Mere hours after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar revealed he was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia last December, the Los Angeles Lakers admitted they were just as stunned by the news as everyone else.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - It took Phil Jackson a mere two words to sum up the impact Lamar Odom's chaotic summer has had on his play during the first two weeks of training camp.

"Absolutely nothing," the Los Angeles Lakers coach said.

The champagne splatter on Mitch Kupchak's suit jacket hadn't even dried Sunday night when the Los Angeles Lakers general manager began casting an eye toward next season.