With Grant Hill sporting a walking cast on his sore left foot, Darrell Armstrong was back in the starting lineup Thursday night for the Orlando Magic against the Boston Celtics. Mike Miller slid over to Hill's usual small forward spot and Armstrong opened at point guard, like he did in the Magic's first 14 games.

"You've got to start Darrell," coach Doc Rivers said. "That's a no-brainer for me."

"It doesn't matter if you start or if you come off the bench," Armstrong said. "The biggest thing is you've got to produce. And sometimes I get tired of telling everybody that. You've got to produce."

Armstrong had 22 points in 34 minutes as a reserve against the Detroit Pistons but missed seven of his nine field-goal attempts during the fourth quarter of the Magic's 105-100 loss.

If Hill was expected to miss at least five games, the Magic would have considered placing him on the injured list and activating Monty Williams, who has not played since Nov. 6 because of a strained right hamstring. But they are holding to their projection of Hill being ready by the time the Memphis Grizzlies come to the TD Waterhouse Centre on Monday night.