I didn't complain a few days ago when Kenny Thomas put up a big goose egg on offense. Why? He had 10 rebounds.

Points from Thomas are gravy to me unless he is using offensive possessions. He didn't use offensive possessions in his 0-fer game – he took only one shot. Thomas's scoring should come exactly the way it came tonight – putbacks, openings very close to the basket. But he has to rebound and defend, and he's been doing that. (And I don't want to jinx anything, so knock on wood, but he and Shareef Abdur-Rahim had a nice little rapport on the floor, right? I didn't imagine it?)

Ron Artest's offensive game was 100 times better than any of the first three contests. He still didn't shoot marvelously – he finished 7 of 17, better but not great. But look at all the shots taken in the paint, in the midrange area. Glorious. That is Good Ron-Ron. Hope he sticks around.

Defensively, the team got back on track. When Ronnie Price and Francisco Garcia are in there with Ron-Ron – it's like the second coming of the Shankill Butchers. I predicted this team would be a top 10 defensive team – that gambit's looking more palatable now, right? Hopefully, the offense can continue to come around.

Three more thoughts: