Bruised shin keeps Orlando's Hill sidelined

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill will miss his fourth straight game Friday with a sore left shin as the team's small playoff hopes keep fading.

Hill has had intermittent pain since being kicked more than five weeks ago. The bruise also sidelined him for three games in early March, then he returned for another 11 contests before missing the last three.

The six-time All-Star underwent a CT scan Wednesday, and the results were sent to his doctor in North Carolina. Stacey Augmon will start in Hill's place against Detroit on Friday.

Interim coach Chris Jent said Thursday that Hill isn't limping and says the pain is pretty much gone.

"You could tell just by his gait that he's feeling much better," Jent said.

Hill is averaging 19.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. He has played in 67 games -- 20 more than the last four seasons combined.

Team officials insist Hill's shin injury isn't related to the ankle problems that sidelined him for much of the previous four seasons. But there are concerns Hill could aggravate the injury by favoring the leg when he runs.

"We're going to be cautious and make sure there's no extensive injury to that area before he does anything," Jent said.

The return of a healthy Hill is essential if the Magic are to make a final playoff push.

Orlando (35-40) has lost three of four and is 2½ games behind Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference's eighth and final postseason berth with seven games remaining.

"It hurts," Jent said. "He's been a great leader for us, and he's been our best player during parts of the year."

With Orlando fading from the playoff picture, there's an argument to be made for sitting Hill even if he's healthy. He has another two years left on his contract, which until this season had seen him sitting on the bench.

"I guess people could say, 'If you're out of it, hang 'em up,"' Jent said. "But if he's healthy, why not play?"

Hill's injury is the latest in a wave that has hit the Magic over the last 2½ weeks.

Swingman Hedo Turkoglu, the team's third-leading scorer, is out for the season after breaking his left wrist on March 21. Rookie point guard Jameer Nelson missed three games and most of a fourth after tearing a muscle in his ribcage March 28.