Friday, February 02, 2007

It was just a matter of time...

As I was watching my New Jersey Nets getting anally raped by Davey's Orlando Magic, I noticed a certain someone absent from the line-up. That "someone" was non other than Grant Hill. Moments later Bill Walton mentioned that Hill was injured and is expected to miss a couple of weeks. So of course I threw on my sweet "Harriet the Spy" outfit and I tracked down what happened.

Side-Note: How in the HELL do you explain wearing that...I mean, seriously Bill...WTF! I could just imagine him leaving his "pad" with his tie-dye shirt and hemp sandals on his way to a Grateful Dead concert.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Hill will miss the next two to three weeks with a Grade 1 MCL sprain. "He sustained it in Wednesday night's victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, but apparently did not inform the team or didn't believe it was serious at the time. But when he came to practice Thursday, Hill told the club his knee hurt and an MRI confirmed the sprain," according to the paper.


Come on, let's not beat around the bush. This was inevitable. As much as I like Grant Hill, the guy can't stay healthy. Since coming to Orlando in 2000 Hill has played in a total of 167 games(including this year), just in case you didn't know, there are 82 games in a season and he's been in Orlando for 6 season. I like Grant Hill alot, I think he's a great person, a good basketball player, but I think it may be time to call it a career.

Injury notes from Wikipediea:

"Hill has been hampered by ankle injuries ever since his arrival in Orlando, playing in only four games in his first season with the Magic, 14 games in his second and 29 in his third. He was forced to sit out his entire fourth year with Orlando (2003-04).

ctors re-fractured his ankle and realigned it with his leg bone. Five days after the surgery was performed, the unexpected happened: Hill developed a 40.5 °C (104.5-degree) fever and convulsions. He was immediately rushed to a hospital. Doctors removed the splint around his ankle and discovered that Hill had developed a staph infection, from which he nearly died. He was hospitalized for a week and had to take intravenous antibiotics for six months.

But the 2004-05 season saw a return to the old Grant Hill, who was so popular earlier in his career. Hill, though hampered by a bruised left shin that caused him to miss several games, started and played 67 games for the Magic, well over the combined amount of games he played for the Magic the previous 4 seasons. He averaged 19.7 points per game on a .509 field goal percentage. Fans voted him an All-Star starter again, and he led the Eastern Conference All-Star Team to a victory over the West. In addition, at the conclusion of the season, Hill was awarded the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the NBA Sportsmanship Award Winner.

During the 2005-06 season, Hill reverted to the oft-injured self as nagging groin injuries kept him sidelined for much of the first half of the season, limiting him to 21 games. He got a sports hernia that was caused by an uneven pressure on Hill's feet while he was running, due to concerns that he could reaggrevate the injury on his left ankle if it got too much pressure. Hill underwent surgery for the hernia and has since stated that he would consider retirement if he has to get another surgery.

As of the 2006-07 season, Hill returned from injuries despite numerous rumors surrounding his retirement. Hill received ankle rotation therapy from specialists in Vancouver, BC during the offseason and has stated that he has regained much motion in his left ankle. Hill has returned to the Magic lineup, starting at the shooting guard position."

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