Grant Hill is 34 and has had six surgeries since 2000, but is healthy this season.  He was recently asked what sort of contract he might like to receive next summer to stick around a while longer.

"I could do that," Hill said, nodding. "I don't know. There's something to be said about going out healthy, leaving on your own terms, while still being able to play at a certain level.

"I don't know.  I'm not really thinking about it right now. We'll see."

The Orlando Magic?s Dwight Howard and the Denver Nuggets? Carmelo Anthony today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 20 through Sunday, Nov. 26.

Howard averaged 18.5 points on .531 shooting and a league-best 14.3 rebounds in leading Orlando to a 3-1 week. Posting double-doubles in all four of Orlando?s games, including a 24-point, 23-rebound effort in the Magic?s lone loss, Howard?s inside presence paced the Magic during a week that included victories over three Eastern Conference opponents. Howard?s 13.5 rpg leads the NBA and the Magic?s 10-4 record leads the East.

Anthony led the Nuggets to a 4-0 record, averaging 31.3 points on .548 shooting. Anthony also dished out 5.3 assists and pulled down 4.8 rebounds while averaging 2.8 steals. After scoring 30-plus points in three of Denver?s four games last week, Anthony now has scored 30-plus in nine of Denver?s 12 games on the season. Denver has won eight of nine, including five straight, after opening the season 0-3.

Darko Milicic is playing for a new contract this season, which could be as high as $60 million.  Milicic continues to be a reserve for the Magic, but has been playing effectively and is finishing games for the club.

"When Darko has early success, his confidence soars," Magic coach Brian Hill said of Milicic. "He's how we're going to get better. If we're running plays through Dwight (Howard) and Darko, it's going to make us better down the line. We have to force-feed those guys."

The Magic's Dwight Howard, 20, wants to become the first NBA player in 15 years to record three consecutive games of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds, a benchmark for a dominating big man.

He will get his chance tonight against the Pacers.

Fran Vazquez has left Akasvayu Girona and now plays for FC Winterthru.

"I hope [Winterthru Coach] Dusko Ivanovic is able to get out of me what was lacking last year and I can start enjoying basketball again."

He isn't expected to play for the Magic until 2009-2010 at the earliest.

Fearing a fine from the NBA, Orlando Magic guard Keyon Dooling said he had nothing negative to say about his flagrant-two foul and ejection from Monday's game against the Boston Celtics.

But that doesn't mean Dooling is totally at peace with the call.

"I don't have anything positive to say either," Dooling said with a laugh.

The Magic plan to petition the league office in hopes of having Dooling's foul reduced to a flagrant-one foul. A flagrant-one foul is one that is deemed unnecessary, while a flagrant-two foul is considered unnecessary and excessive.

J.J. Redick likely will dress for his second game of the season when the Orlando Magic face the Celtics on Monday night in Boston.

Coach Brian Hill said he plans to activate Redick and deactivate PG Travis Diener.

Darko Milicic will be a restricted free agent this summer and hopes to sign a multi-year deal worth about $60 million.

"We weren't that far apart," Orlando General Manager Otis Smith said. "We just determined that it wasn't in the best interest of our organization to enter into an extension based on 30 games (from last season)."

Milicic is the only player out of the top-8 selections of the 2003 draft not to have signed an extension.

Trevor Ariza said that he hopes to make his 2006-07 debut either Wednesday night against the Seattle SuperSonics or Friday night in Indianapolis against the Pacers.

Ariza has missed the preseason and four games with a bruised right foot.

"I'm hoping," he said.

Magic center Dwight Howard has no plans to leave The Orlando Magic and is planning on signing an extension next summer but unlike LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard sounds like he is planning on signing a long-term deal rather than a three-year deal.

"Yeah, my preference is long," Howard said after Friday's shootaround before the Magic's home game against Philadelphia.