<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Experience has taught the Indiana Pacers to be wary of positive reports about Jonathan Bender's health. If the latest word is accurate, however, Bender will be in the starting lineup today when the Pacers' summer league team opens play in Minneapolis. The Pacers will play Houston at 3 p.m. at the Target Center. Minnesota, Milwaukee, New York and Toronto also have entered teams. Bender, the fifth pick in the 1999 draft, has played in just 74 games the past three seasons because of assorted injuries. He did not participate in summer league practices this week, working instead with therapist Dan Dyrek in Boston. The Pacers, however, believe Bender is ready for limited game action and plan to play him today and Sunday. "We'll see how it goes," said assistant coach Dan Burke, who will direct the Pacers' team. "As long as he's strong and feeling good, we'll give him a good look." The Pacers have heard that Bender recently played without pain in a game at former NBA guard Kenny Smith's camp. "You always hear that kind of stuff in the summer," Burke said. "We'll wait and see." Thomas impresses Chris Thomas has a long way to go to prove he's ready for the NBA, but he didn't falter in his initial steps. The former Pike High School and Notre Dame point guard was among the free agents who made a positive impression in the Pacers' practices at Conseco Fieldhouse this week, and he will start today. "Each day he's looked better as far as making decisions and being a leader," Burke said. "And it looks like he can really shoot." Thomas will be joined in the starting lineup by shooting guard Maurice Carter, Bender, Ron Artest and last year's first-round draft pick, David Harrison.</div> Source
