One returns, two to go

T.J. Ford expects to play for the Raptors tonight against the Phoenix Suns.

The real T.J. Ford, that is.

After two aborted attempts to come back from an arm and hand injuries, Ford said this morning he finally feels like himself, good enough to back up Jose Calderon against Steve Nash, who is generally considered the best point guard in the NBA.

"Cleveland and Washington was frustrating, coming back too soon, not being able to have any strengths," Ford said this morning. "The quickness wasn’t there, the first step wasn’t there and the shot wasn’t there.

"It was tough so my body needed to rest and I got in the gym and just tried to emulate game style against some of my teammates and now I feel a lot better."

Ford suffered what's termed a 'stinger' when he collided with Dallas' Josh Howard almost three weeks ago. The effects knocked him out of action entirely for about eight days and it's taken at least a week for him to get back into something close to game shape.

So, what's a 'stinger?'

Tough to describe, but it hurts.

"A stinger’s just like a tingling sensation," said Ford. "It’s painful to touch, it’s just sensitive to the skin.

"I don’t have the sensation any more, the sensation just lasted a few days; after I had it, I just became a little sore."

While Ford should play, neither Chris Bosh nor Andrea Bargnani will, coach Sam Mitchell said.

That leaves Joey Graham in the starting lineup again and Ford said he'll come off the bench behind Jose Calderon.

Comments

[James Freitas]

It's good to see that Ford will be back tonight, and it's good to see that he's willing to share the spotlight with Jose Calderon, who deserves to start with the numbers he's been putting up. Although they're back, tonight's game looks cloudy to me without Bargnani or Bosh. Hopefully Joey G and The Hump can stay up to the challenge.

[Aaron Campbell]

Jose should start regardless of how healthy and how much potential TJ has. I'm not disrespecting TJ, Jose is just that good! The play he made in the second quarter against the Bobcats where he dribbled sitting on his rear, lost the ball, retrieved the ball and then scored on a driving layup was one for the ages.

Go raps.

[craig culver]

I don't see the controversy that everyone talks about with Ford and Calderon. They both have their own style and different nights one is more effective than the other. So play the most effective one. I personally like Calderon. He plays the court like a General.... maybe we should call him General Calderon. He's very effective, responsible and sees the floor well. Ford is more like a Globetrotter fast and fancy. When Ford is on he's on and when he's not there's lots of rushed plays and bad decisions. Both very good but the General is more mature. For tonight, as far as I'm concerned without Bosh and Bargnani the Raps will not beat the Suns with Graham and Humps as the replacements. I just hope for a close contest. It sucks watching a blowout.
Cul

[patrick r]

Hi Doug,

I have to get this off my chest. I have been around basketball in canada for over 30 years, I have played, coached and promoted the game long before the NBA came here and to listen to the crap that Steve Nash hd to hear (Wednesday) has really fired me up. I was a guest coach at the vVnce Carter Camp here a few years ago and while Carter was not available ironically enough because he was training with USA Basketball.
Steve Nash made an appearance to meet and talk to the campers and I was struck by how humble and honest he was with the kids. They were thrilled with him and this was prior to his two MVP awards.
We have a tradition in this country and with this game of eating our young. We criticize kids for going south on scholarships, but provide no real infrastructure for the game to really take root here. Yes we want to win and yes Steve Nash would make a huge difference, but what does it say about our game in our country that we have nothing behind Steve Nash to offer to our program?
Why are we holding the players accountable while at the same time allowing a free pass to the powers that be that are supposed to be building the game. You can bet if this was hockey heads would be put on a platter and it wouldn't be the athletes.
I have said for years that this country produces some of the best athletes period. That if we approached other sports like we do hockey we would be a top 5 country on the international sports scene. But instead we bicker and point fingers and lowest of lows criticize too often the people who deserve our praise and gratitude...the athletes!
People, get over yourselves, get behind the grass roots basketball and other sports and get involved, so that for every Steve Nash there is at least 100 more Steve Nash's are waiting to happen. Hold the sport federations in this country accountable, lay off the athletes!
Patrick Rutledge

Blogger's note: Well put. Very well.