The Zero Factor

Went to last night's thrilling triumph over Cleveland, and I have to say that when I saw Gilbert Arenas limp off the court my hope -- in the absence of any television commentary to tell me exactly what was happening -- was that he'd be too hurt to get back in the game. The team isn't "better without Arenas" per se, but it's hard to avoid the conclusion that the team plays with more intensity on the defensive end without him. That's not merely, or even especially, a reflection of Arenas' defensive skills (or lack thereof), it's broader and more systemic -- a switch seems to go on that says "oh no, Gilbert's not around, we'll only win if we play defense!" which, in the end, leads to more success over all.