Pacers point guard, T.J. Ford took advantage of an off-day Thursday to squeeze in a little bonding with rookie Tyler Hansbrough. Ford tweeted about taking the rook to the Country Kitchen on College Ave. for his first taste of soul food. Even includes a picture. No word on if the post-meal "itis" struck Hansbrough. Now that would be a story if it didn't.

Love seeing this type of thing which undoubtedly will create a story shared throughout the locker room, impacting the whole team. Another good thing is that T.J. wasn't holed up in traction yesterday after back spasms made it appear that a sniper had taken him down in the first quarter of Wednesday's game. He's receiving treatment and hopes to play on Saturday night.

If the Pacers beat the Celtics on Saturday, a meal at the Country Kitchen may be required before every home game.

After the jump, a few links of interest including a Stormtrooper offering insights on the Pacers.

• Speaking of Hansbrough, here he is on the Dan Dakich show (audio link) and The Zone with Derek Schultz earlier this week.
• Pacers' Watson back on target
  Mike Wells reports on Earl Watson shooting straight off the bench, A.J. Price taking advantage of any playing time he's given and the effective small ball lineup utilized with Troy Murphy on the shelf.
• PACERS: Daniels in subtle but vital role for Celtics
  Andrew Perna takes a closer look at how Marquis Daniels ended up in Boston this season.
• Indiana Pacers ticket scalpers find reason to smile
  With the Pacers on a winning streak, Anthony Schoettle found some optimism on the streets near the Fieldhouse.
• Jessica Camerato checks in with Marquis Daniels on his return to Indianapolis.
• Williams: Onward, upward - The Boston Globe
  Frank Dell'Apa reports on Shelden Williams jump-starting his career off the Celtics bench.
• The Beat: Cyberspace - NBA Videos and Highlights
  SLAM's Lang Whitake highlights some off-beat NBA stories on the web, including Tyler Hansbrough's Wow commercial.
• Chris Paul taken aback by New Orleans Hornets' firing of Byron Scott
  Former Pacer hero, Byron Scott was fired as coach of the New Orleans Hornets yesterday and Chris Paul heard about it like the rest of us. 
• The Pacers Crate discussion goes off the rails this week including a familiar-sounding Stormtrooper imparting Pacers' knowledge with Chris Denari and Mark Boyle.