Ford now pain-free but not ready to return
Raptors point guard T.J. Ford said yesterday that he is pain-free and will return to action sometime this season, adding that he will sit down with team officials within the next week or two to discuss his eventual return.
All-star game or bust for Bosh
"I would be greatly disappointed if I'm not in every year," Bosh said yesterday, following the Raptors practice at the Air Canada Centre. "That's definitely one of the goals I set coming into every season."
Raptors Game Day
The Pistons have the second-best record in the NBA (25-7) and have won 10 straight games, including a 106-93 triumph in Washington on Wednesday night. They have only lost two at home, but are also a stellar 12-5 on the road -- one of only two teams in the NBA (Celtics) with 10 wins at home and on the road.
Beware of Pistons
"I'm sure that has something to do with it," Mitchell said when asked if he believes the Pistons are out to prove that they, not the Celtics, are still the Beasts of the East. "But those guys are all professionals. They play well, they play hard, they understand the game ... they're just good. I don't know what else you can say.
"They've played together for a long time. They know each other, they're smart and they're playing as well as anyone. And they've beaten Boston on their court and they're the only team to do that. They're just tough. They have no weaknesses."
The Star
Dixon hopes to make most of switch
"I don't want Juan to be like Jose," coach Sam Mitchell said. "With T.J. and Jose we were combining for 25 points and 15-18 rebounds. Jose is still going to score his 12 points, but I still want Juan to score.
"I want my point guards to be different. Hey, if you play for me, you can't be afraid to shoot ... and Juan is not afraid to shoot. It's not the turnovers I'm worried about (with Dixon at the point). It's making smart plays and not taking chances."
The Globe
Pistons hit town with all cylinders firing
Winning would go a long way to boosting the Raptors' confidence, but keeping the score close might be a challenge. The Pistons' average margin of victory during the streak is an impressive 16.8 points a game.
Bosh remains third in all-star voting
Garnett has 1,527,963 votes to lead all players, while James has 1,294,019. Bosh, who was voted a starter on the Eastern Conference team for the first time last season, has 411,313.
T.J. Ford announced on the Fan 590 Thursday afternoon that he is now pain-free and plans to return to the Toronto Raptors lineup in the near future.
edit:
National Post: Ford planning return in near future
"I'm feeling good. My body has recovered all the way and I'm not having any symptoms," Ford said. "I'm not waking up sore anymore and I'm not having pain throughout the day.
