Curry Will Visit Heart Specialists

Chicago Bull center Eddy Curry will be evaluated by specialists in Boston and Minnesota for an irregular heartbeat that has sidelined him since March 30.

A battery of tests performed on Curry during the past week were inconclusive, the Bulls said Thursday.

“Our first priority is Eddy’s health, and we are going to be absolutely certain we have all the answers we need before he returns to the court,” Bull General Manager John Paxson said.

On Monday, Curry was released from Rush University Medical Center, and Bull team physician Dr. Kathy Weber said his heart problems had dissipated. Paxson said at the time that Curry could be back playing “by the end of the week.”

The Bulls have gone 3-1 without Curry, who leads the team with a 16.1 scoring average.

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Houston Rocket forward Juwan Howard confirmed that he would miss the rest of the season while recovering from a viral infection in his heart.

The ailment, viral myocarditis, has symptoms that include fever, heart palpitations and mild chest pains.

“On the advice of my doctors, I will take a conservative approach for resuming my regular training regimen in order to ensure a full recovery so that I can be ready for the start of next season,” Howard said in a statement. “My physicians have reassured me that there should be no long-term consequences.”

Howard, 32, was averaging 9.6 points and 5.7 rebounds.

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Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill will miss his fourth straight game tonight because of a sore left shin, with Coach Chris Jent acknowledging that the forward might not return this season.

Team officials, however, insist Hill’s injury isn’t related to the ankle problems that sidelined him for much of the previous four seasons. Hill is averaging 19.7 points and 4.7 rebounds.