IC Cold Links: Tyler Hansbrough Situation Continues To Get Worse

It's the inner ear infection from Hell.

Indiana Pacers rookie Tyler Hansbrough is seeing his first season in the NBA flushed down the toilet thanks to an infection of which the Midwest has never seen before. It was announced on Friday that Hansbrough is no longer working out at all on the basketball court. He has been ordered by doctors to cease athletic activity for the time-being, effectively setting him back months in the midst of the season.

After coach Jim O'Brien originally said that he hoped that Hansbrough could return to action after the All-Star break, the Pacers coach rescinded those plans after the Pacers defeated the Pistons on Friday.

O'Brien told the Indianapolis Star the following:

"I do not know if we will have Tyler (after the All-Star break)," O'Brien said. "He's not working out at all. If he's able to come back and start working out, that's going to be important, because the fact that he's been told that he is not really allowed to move around, even one on none, is a real setback from the conditioning standpoint."

The ear infection has put up some pretty impressive numbers so far. It has caused Hansbrough to miss 17 of the past 21 games. Fun times for the Pacers first-round draft choice. For some happier news regarding the blue and gold, check out the links after the jump that cover last night's dominating performance against Detroit.

• AP Story
• Box Score
• Recap
• Postgame Quotes
• PACERS: Inside the Game: Pacers 107, Pistons 83
  Bruno's Inside the Game report has all of the numbers, notes, quotes and highlights.
• Pacers cruise, say: Welcome back, T.J.
  Mike Wells covers the resurrection of T.J. Ford in the Pacers' lineup last night. Ford, who had 11 points, five assists and three rebounds in the Indiana win, told Wells the following about his first game since being benched at the end of December. "It's just one game; I've got one more to go and then it's back to the bench," Ford said. "I'm not blaming anybody for the situation I'm in. I haven't made any excuses. I'm just taking it for what it's worth."
• Rookie Hansbrough's health problem worsens
  Wells empties the notebook on Hansbrough, attendance at Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse, the All-Star break, and A.J. Price's emergence.
• Pacers paste Pistons, 107-83
  The Detroit Free Press offers a perspective for the Pistons' fans out there.
• Pistons' big flaw exposed
  The Free Press also notes that the Pacers exposed another giant flaw on the Pistons' roster.
• Indiana is synonymous with basketball, but could it be turning into a football state?
  Just in case you need another reminder that the Pacers (and Indiana basketball) isn't numero uno in the Hoosier State anymore, here's ESPN's take on the matter.
• IndyStar.com | Pacers Insider
  Wells blogs about how coach Jim O'Brien might handle his new point guard problem when Earl Watson returns next week.
• Pacers-Bucks Preview
  Preview of tonight's game.