Injury Issues in the East

A couple of high-profile players in the East on the presumptive favorites in the conference are dealing with injuries early in camp. Fever forward Tamika Catchings tore her right Achilles in last year's Eastern Conference Finals and has yet to be cleared to return to practice, the AP reported yesterday. It doesn't look like she'll be in the lineup for the start of the season.

"On the front end, we're kind of taking our time," Catchings said. "I want to get back and get back to the team and get back into playing shape and hope to be playing 100 percent by the Olympics. Hopefully, before that."

Until yesterday, I had missed the news that Detroit's Cheryl Ford underwent a type of microfracture procedure on her problematic left knee. Ford talked about the procedure in an audio feature by the New York Times. Ford says she's been told she might be back to 100 percent by July, though DetroitShock.com reported recently that she could be in the lineup by opening night.

Only two WNBA players are known to have undergone microfracture knee surgery - the Storm's Sue Bird and Los Angeles point guard Temeka Johnson.

By the postseason, both Catchings and Ford may be beyond their injuries, but for now they are question marks in an Eastern Conference that seems to be behind the West this season.