Grant Hill is not practicing or playing. His left foot is in a boot. The ankle is "inflamed," and at least one paper has reported that Hill "has developed bone spurs" in it.

The Orlando Magic know what you are thinking -- this sounds suspiciously like last season, which

ended for Hill in early January.

Hill and the Magic spent much of Wednesday insisting his new injury has nothing to do with the one that required surgery almost 11 months ago.

"My gut feeling -- and I'm certainly no doctor -- is that . . . the joint is just getting used to building up the endurance and getting used to an NBA season," Hill said. "We've had a pretty horrific schedule already and . . . my ankle is just getting used to the pounding. Rest will be good for it and then we'll re-evaluate."

The 29-year-old Hill is averaging 16.8 points and a team-leading 8.9 rebounds. He sat out Saturday's loss to Charlotte and took himself out of Tuesday night's loss to Detroit, complaining of soreness in the ankle.