"I've got a feeling Jim O'Brien is about to be in a tough position after Saturday's game at Milwaukee.

T.J. Ford played like a player on a mission against Detroit. He didn't try to do too much. He played under control and he got the job done.

Ford came off the bench to get 11 points, five assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes. He even made a rare 3-pointer.

"I thought he looked sharp," said O'Brien, the person responsible for relegating Ford to the bench. "It's a credit to T.J.'s professionalism that he kept sharp, kept in shape, shot the basketball well. A very focused game for him and we needed it."

Ford downplayed his game by saying it was just one game. You have to give him credit, he didn't pout or complain about spending 18 straight games riding the pine."