Raptors' Aaron Gray cleared to play
By RYAN WOLSTAT, QMI Agency
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  Aaron Gray poses for a picture during annual media day for the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. (DAVE ABEL/QMI Agency)
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Raptors centre Aaron Gray has been cleared to resume playing and will be available for the Raptors on Wednesday night against Indiana.
A rapid heart rate was detected recently by team doctors, which forced the club to shut Gray down for the season opener in Cleveland, but team and outside doctors gave him the go-ahead to resume full basketball-related activity.
The return of the 270-pounder will be timely. The Raptors will face 7-foot-2 centre Roy HIbbert on Wednesday, 7-footer Brendan Haywood on Friday, Orlando's Dwight Howard - the NBA's premier centre - on Sunday and Tyson Chandler in New York next Monday.
“We need his size and physical play,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said following morning shootaround.
“He’s one of our best post defenders. We need him.”
Gray was signed as a free agent after playing last season for the New Orleans Hornets.
Casey said he will go with the same starting lineup against the Pacers that opened in Cleveland, though Rasual Butler only played 11 minutes and James Johnson came off the bench to play a team-high 36.
