Hill back but not quite ready
Grant Hill returns to full-contact practice Tuesday but is lacking in his conditioning.
Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted December 7, 2005
Grant Hill has been cheerleading for so long that his toddler daughter, Myla, has picked up the handshake-hug ritual used by NBA players.
"She grabs my hand and pulls me in and pats me on the back," Hill said, laughing. "She's been watching me around the bench."
That's where most Orlando Magic fans have been watching Hill, although it is hardly a new view.
After a left ankle problem robbed him of four prime years, Hill has yet to play this regular season because of a sports hernia. He underwent surgery Oct. 31 after sustaining the injury Oct. 19 in a preseason game.
Hill is ready to launch yet another comeback, which will probably allow him to eclipse the unofficial record held by Cher and any heavyweight boxer.
Hill participated in his first full-scale practice Tuesday at RDV Sportsplex -- and looked good and felt no pain in the abdominal area.
As expected, he also was rusty.
"It felt great," Hill said. "All in all, it was a good day. My conditioning was better than I thought."
He worked with the second team, ran the court in scrimmage situations and threw around his body, even taking charges.
"Grant looked good," said guard DeShawn Stevenson. "He's doing some of the things he did in training camp."
When he'll actually play is anybody's guess. Tonight against the Chicago Bulls? Not likely. Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. A very maybe. Or next Wednesday in New York against the Knicks. Surely.
Asked when he might play, the ever-playful, coy Hill says, "I want to play [tonight]."
He then shakes head.
"They [team officials] probably won't let me," he said. "Could be [tonight], Saturday, next game. . . . I don't know. Could be any day."
The Hill that counts in all this is Coach Brian Hill.
While Hill says that Grant "looked real good . . . He looked quick or everybody else was real slow," he doesn't plan on playing Grant tonight.
"He needs a few practices," Brian Hill said. "There's no prescribed timetable. I'd rather play on the side of caution. I'd rather him take an extra game to get him back."
The Magic have learned to play it safe when anything malfunctions in Hill's anatomy.
Last season, during his grand all-star game-worthy comeback, the club shut him down the last 10 games. He had developed a sore left shin. The Magic were worried he would favor the leg and affect his infamous ankle.
Assistant General Manager Otis Smith also doesn't plan on Hill playing against the Bulls but said, "We'll see how Thursday's practice goes," meaning there's hope for a Hill sighting Saturday night.
Hill knows full well he has little chance to play tonight. "I'm not right, right? Know what I mean? . . . Before I throw myself out there, I want to be ready. You want to get back and help the team out, but we've gone down this road before," he said.
He concedes he needs a couple practices. "There's no rush," Hill said.
Fans obviously look at how Hill might be able to help revive the Magic. They are 7-10 and riding a four-game losing streak.
Their offense has sputtered off and on without the multi-dimensional Hill. He averaged 19.7 points last season and played in 67 games -- the most of his snake-bitten Magic career.
When Hill does return, the Magic will be at least close to being whole for the first time this season. Injuries have undermined a new start under a new coach. Point guard Steve Francis, who has missed the past three games because of a chest injury, practiced Tuesday and will play tonight.
However, guard Keyon Dooling isn't expected to return for at least another week and a half. And back-up center Kelvin Cato has a sprained his right ankle and is questionable against the Bulls. Hedo Turkoglu has replaced Hill in the lineup and averaged 13.5 points, but is better suited coming off the bench.
Hill is a better defender and rebounder. His absence has placed stress on other players who might be playing out of their comfort zone. "Grant will take a lot of pressure off us. We are lacking some 20 points without him," Stevenson said. "It will be awesome to have him back."
Grant Hill returns to full-contact practice Tuesday but is lacking in his conditioning.
Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted December 7, 2005
Grant Hill has been cheerleading for so long that his toddler daughter, Myla, has picked up the handshake-hug ritual used by NBA players.
"She grabs my hand and pulls me in and pats me on the back," Hill said, laughing. "She's been watching me around the bench."
That's where most Orlando Magic fans have been watching Hill, although it is hardly a new view.
After a left ankle problem robbed him of four prime years, Hill has yet to play this regular season because of a sports hernia. He underwent surgery Oct. 31 after sustaining the injury Oct. 19 in a preseason game.
Hill is ready to launch yet another comeback, which will probably allow him to eclipse the unofficial record held by Cher and any heavyweight boxer.
Hill participated in his first full-scale practice Tuesday at RDV Sportsplex -- and looked good and felt no pain in the abdominal area.
As expected, he also was rusty.
"It felt great," Hill said. "All in all, it was a good day. My conditioning was better than I thought."
He worked with the second team, ran the court in scrimmage situations and threw around his body, even taking charges.
"Grant looked good," said guard DeShawn Stevenson. "He's doing some of the things he did in training camp."
When he'll actually play is anybody's guess. Tonight against the Chicago Bulls? Not likely. Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. A very maybe. Or next Wednesday in New York against the Knicks. Surely.
Asked when he might play, the ever-playful, coy Hill says, "I want to play [tonight]."
He then shakes head.
"They [team officials] probably won't let me," he said. "Could be [tonight], Saturday, next game. . . . I don't know. Could be any day."
The Hill that counts in all this is Coach Brian Hill.
While Hill says that Grant "looked real good . . . He looked quick or everybody else was real slow," he doesn't plan on playing Grant tonight.
"He needs a few practices," Brian Hill said. "There's no prescribed timetable. I'd rather play on the side of caution. I'd rather him take an extra game to get him back."
The Magic have learned to play it safe when anything malfunctions in Hill's anatomy.
Last season, during his grand all-star game-worthy comeback, the club shut him down the last 10 games. He had developed a sore left shin. The Magic were worried he would favor the leg and affect his infamous ankle.
Assistant General Manager Otis Smith also doesn't plan on Hill playing against the Bulls but said, "We'll see how Thursday's practice goes," meaning there's hope for a Hill sighting Saturday night.
Hill knows full well he has little chance to play tonight. "I'm not right, right? Know what I mean? . . . Before I throw myself out there, I want to be ready. You want to get back and help the team out, but we've gone down this road before," he said.
He concedes he needs a couple practices. "There's no rush," Hill said.
Fans obviously look at how Hill might be able to help revive the Magic. They are 7-10 and riding a four-game losing streak.
Their offense has sputtered off and on without the multi-dimensional Hill. He averaged 19.7 points last season and played in 67 games -- the most of his snake-bitten Magic career.
When Hill does return, the Magic will be at least close to being whole for the first time this season. Injuries have undermined a new start under a new coach. Point guard Steve Francis, who has missed the past three games because of a chest injury, practiced Tuesday and will play tonight.
However, guard Keyon Dooling isn't expected to return for at least another week and a half. And back-up center Kelvin Cato has a sprained his right ankle and is questionable against the Bulls. Hedo Turkoglu has replaced Hill in the lineup and averaged 13.5 points, but is better suited coming off the bench.
Hill is a better defender and rebounder. His absence has placed stress on other players who might be playing out of their comfort zone. "Grant will take a lot of pressure off us. We are lacking some 20 points without him," Stevenson said. "It will be awesome to have him back."
