I recently talked with Lamar Odom about his view on "good basketball," referencing comments LO made after the Golden State victory about having not played particularly good basketball since last season. Odom --for better, worse, and sometimes even both-- has never been one to judge quality play in conventional terms (i.e., points), so I was curious what parameters he uses to define "good." He cited the +/- stat, which measures point differential when a player is on and off the court. Last season, LO was second in the entire league, sandwiched behind between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Hardly the worst company one could keep. +/-, like all stats, should never be treated as the ultimate gospel, but it's equally foolish to dismiss the results outright.

Odom will likely never score enough to please most Lakers fans, but the intangibles he's proud of bringing to the table make a difference. The Lakers were typically much better with LO on the floor than the bench, and the forward, whose +/- now ranks a respectable (if less eye-popping) 23rd, is seeking a return to the championship season's impact beyond the numbers.

Why am I mentioning this? Well, guess who's sitting in the NBA's bridesmaid spot for +/- as we speak? Ron Artest, out the last four games with a concussion and unavailable tonight against Dallas, to the best of my knowledge. I've written two recent pieces, from my and his teammate's perspective, about the impact of Artest's absence. Here's yet another example why the Lakers would struggle with Ron Ron on the shelf. Despite an incomplete understanding of the triangle, a frustrating inability to consistently finish at the rim and a perplexing 61 percent free throw clip, the Lakers have not only enjoyed more success with Artest on the court, they've enjoyed more with him than any Laker, period. That's not to say he's literally been the key to every win or loss, but his presence, intensity and energy have clearly offset whatever work remains in progress while being immersed into the system. One more reason the Lakers need to ratchet up their collective effort while the pride of St. Johns dons a suit during games.

A tip of the cap to ESPN's Chris Sheridan, whose True Hoop piece about +/- top dog Anderson Varejao (who knew?) alerted me to Artest's spot.