Hill Earns Some Sympathy From an Unlikely Source

The Orlando Magic, which has won four games in a row and has not played since Thursday, may have Grant Hill back in the lineup tonight when it plays the Clippers at Staples Center.

Hill, who joined the Magic during the off-season, has missed all but two games because of problems with his left ankle, which required surgery at the end of last season.

The Clippers’ Alvin Gentry has a good relationship with Hill after coaching him for nearly three seasons at Detroit.

“I just hope he’s healthy,” Gentry said about Hill. “That’s the main thing . . . The one thing about Grant is that he has a tendency to think everything is OK. I just hope that he’s taking his time to come back.

“When he’s healthy and 100%, he’s as good as any player in the league and when you throw Tracy McGrady into the mix, they have two of the best young talents in the league.”

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Many of the Clippers’ missed shots have come from close range. Center Michael Olowokandi and power forward Brian Skinner have been off the mark on numerous high-percentage shots and young players such as Lamar Odom, Darius Miles, Keyon Dooling, Quentin Richardson and Corey Maggette have missed quite a few layups and dunks this season.

“We’re not able to finish shots close in,” Gentry said. “We’re missing drives and post-up shots all of the time. We have to get a lot better making shots we should make.”

In the Clippers’ 12-point loss at Minnesota on Saturday, they missed five dunks. One of Miles’ three missed dunks came after he eluded Kevin Garnett with a crossover dribble.

“That one really got me mad,” Miles said. “I crossed him, but the ball just came out.”

TONIGHT

vs. Orlando, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Clippers 6-16, Magic 9-11.

* Record vs. Magic (1999-2000)--0-2.

* Update--The Clippers have lost two games in a row and 10 of their last 12. Odom is coming off a poor nine-point effort in the Clippers’ 12-point loss at Minnesota on Saturday. Orlando has won five in a row over the Clippers and 10 of the last 11 meetings. The Clippers have not defeated the Magic in Los Angeles since Dec. 15, 1993. McGrady leads Orlando in scoring at 25.7 points a game. Clipper power forward Derek Strong and Maggette both played with Orlando last season.

* Tickets--(800) 462-2849.