Season Ends for Grant Hill

Grant Hill’s comeback season is over, cut short by a sore left shin.

The Orlando Magic forward has experienced pain on and off since being kicked almost six weeks ago, and Hill’s stride recently has been thrown off balance.

Hill and team officials worry that if he favors the leg, he could re-injure the left ankle that sidelined him for most of the previous four seasons.

Hill averaged 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.45 steals this season. He played in 67 games, 20 more than the last four seasons combined.

*

Five Indiana Pacer players charged in one of the worst brawls in U.S. sports history, Nov. 19 at the Palace at Auburn Hills, will be tried separately in Rochester Hills, Mich.

Judge Lisa Asadoorian granted the players’ request for separate trials on misdemeanor assault and battery charges so they would not be called as complaining witnesses at the same trial in which they are defendants.

Lawyers for the five -- Ron Artest, Jermaine O’Neal, Stephen Jackson, Anthony Johnson and David Harrison -- contended there was a risk the players would be called to testify in a way that could be self-incriminating.