Magic notes: Magic forward Grant Hill should return to the Orlando starting lineup tonight to face his former team. Hill missed his first game of the season Saturday night because of a sprained left foot. The injury occurred to the same foot that was twice repaired surgically last year and kept Hill out of 78 games last season. X-rays on the foot were negative and Hill could play tonight. Hill was a five-time all-star while playing six seasons in Detroit. . . . Orlando lost 103-101 Saturday night to Charlotte, ending its two-game losing streak. Orlando yielded 19 offensive rebounds and was outrebounded 51-42 overall. . . . Mike Miller started in place of the injured Hill and led the Magic with a career-high 32 points. Miller, the reigning Rookie of the Year, made 13 of his 22 shots, including 6 of his 8 3-pointers. He has scored 55 points in his past two games, boosting his scoring average to 15.4 points a game. . . . Tracy McGrady missed a 15-footer at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime. McGrady had 31 points in the game, but had to hoist 31 shots. Because he is having to carry too much of the offensive load, his shooting percentage (42.8 percentage) continues to remain low.
Pistons notes: Detroit has been one of the NBA's biggest surprises, racing to an 8-4 start. The Pistons, who failed to the make the playoffs last season, have the third best record in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Pistons are playing much better defense under first-year head coach Rick Carlisle. The Pistons are third in the NBA in points allowed (89) and seventh in field-goal percentage allowed (42.5 percent). Michael Curry is in the lineup especially for his defense and he likely will guard McGrady. . . . Ben Wallace, who played for the Magic during the 1999-2000 season, has developed into one of the game's best interior defenders. He leads the NBA in blocked shots (3.58) and is seventh in rebounding (11). . . . Orlando native Chucky Atkins, who played with the Magic in the 1999-2000 season, has fallen out of favor in Detroit and has asked for a trade. He is the team's third point guard behind Barros and Damon Jones. Atkins did not play at all in two games last week, but got 24 minutes Saturday night against Memphis. He is shooting a respectable 46.4 percent from the floor, but his scoring average has fallen to 6.9 points a game. . . . Detroit bounced back from consecutive losses to defeat the Grizzlies 91-84 Saturday night. The Pistons won despite playing without Jerry Stackhouse and Corliss Williamson because of injuries. Cliff Robinson, acquired in an offseason trade with Phoenix, led the Pistons with 23 points. . . . Stackhouse has missed the past two games with a groin injury, but could return tonight. He leads the Pistons in scoring (21.7) and assists (5.4).