IC Cold Links: Ford Set To Return With Pacers Rolling

This Indiana Pacers team has been a lot of things this season: depressed, underachievers, injured, offensive and defensive nightmares, etc. But now this team can add a "never-give-up" attitude to its list of attributes

As the Pacers rolled through the Thunder on Sunday, the blue and gold were led by fantastic play on both sides of the ball. Danny Granger, who came back early from a head injury to continue improving with teammates, led the team with a team-high 32 points and seven rebounds while shutting down Thunder star Kevin Durant (16 points). Now, another injured starter is set to return early to join the "let's kill our lottery hopes and future tour" as early as tomorrow.

"I'm making good progress and we'll see how it goes over the next few days," T.J. Ford said. "I'm feeling better each day."

Ford, who re-injured his groin 10 days ago, is completing on-the-court work and he's hopeful that he can return to the Pacers' bench in their matchup with Central Division bottom-feeder Pistons on Tuesday. He could also wait to return against another lottery-bound foe (Wizards) on Wednesday. Ford could either flow seamlessly into a thriving, fast-paced Pacers offense that is showing flashbacks to last year, or he could disrupt the cutting and movement that Earl Watson has developed so well in the past week.

Watson had eight assists and no turnovers in 29 minutes against the Thunder, giving him a total of 19 assists and only two turnovers in the past two games. Ford will also take away important minutes from rookie A.J. Price, who played 19 minutes yesterday.

Some links after the jump.

• AP Story
• Box Score
• NBA.com
• PACERS: Inside the Game: Pacers 121, Thunder 101
  Bruno's Inside The Game report has all of the numbers, notes, quotes and highlights.
• Pacers keep winning, pound Thunder 121-101
  Mike Wells recaps the dominating win as the Pacers continue to insist that their season is far from over. Danny Granger said: "Regardless of our situation, we're still competing. We're still competitors. If we can kick somebody else out, we'll do it."
• Pacers hold Durant far below average
  Granger and Dahntay Jones had their way with an out-of-sorts Kevin Durant on Sunday. Wells also reports on Earl Watson's big game, and the fact that the Pacers were very, very close to picking up Eric Maynor in last summer's draft.
• Pacers lower boom on OKC
  NewsOK offers up a recap from the Oklahoma City perspective.
• Thunder notebook: Westbrook limited with stomach virus
  Russell Westbrook was having stomach issues yesterday, which kept his minutes limited during the blowout Pacers' win.
• Pacers down dozing Thunder 121-101
  Daily Thunder is not happy with the performance displayed by the "dozing" Oklahoma City players yesterday.
• Pacers 121, Thunder 101
  Darnell Mayberry took notes on anything and everything that happened before, during and after Sunday's game for his Thunder Rumblings blog.
• Finding a rhythm too late in the season
  Mike Wells blogs about the Pacers road out of the John Wall Sweepstakes as the blue and gold continue to pile up wins late in the year.
• Lucas: Kellogg's words speak all the action
  Mike Lucas sits down with Pacers commentator and NCAA voice, Clark Kellogg.