Changing their mind

Mike Miller went on the injured list Tuesday morning, but not before the Magic first announced that it was rookie Steven Hunter going on the list with patella tendinitis to make room for Jud Buechler on the active roster.

Five minutes after Hunter was announced, the Magic changed their mind and replaced him with Miller on the list. They switched after watching Miller limp around during a morning workout.

"Just a mix-up," said Magic General Manager John Gabriel. "If a guy can't go, he can't go."

Miller had struggled through the previous three games, trying to play with a sprained left ankle, and he reinjured it in practice Monday. When he tried to run Tuesday morning, it hurt worse than ever.

Hunter's tendinitis disappeared quickly.

Miller must sit out tonight's regular-season finale against Miami, but he is expected to be on the 12-man playoff roster.

Back on the program

Tracy McGrady went to see his back specialist twice while in Atlanta before Tuesday night's game against the Hawks, giving him encouragement that the soreness he has now won't prevent him from playing.

He and his specialist, Rich Nyberg, worked on stretching and strengthening exercises. McGrady said part of the problem may have been caused by him being a little lax in his preventative maintenance program that Nyberg had developed for him. "He wants me to spend more time in the pool," McGrady said Tuesday. "It's going to be OK. I just have to keep up with everything."

Hot items

There are 6,000 tickets -- some in the lower bowl of TD Waterhouse Centre -- still available for Game 1 of the Magic's first-round playoff series. There are 7,000 still available for Game 2.

People have been buying the tickets -- 500 were sold Monday -- without knowing whom the Magic would be playing in the first round, or what day the games would take place.

If the Magic secure home-court advantage, Game 1 would be either Saturday or Sunday. If the Magic fall to the No. 5 seed or lower and lose home-court advantage, Game 1 might not be until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

"I like the way [the tickets] been going," said Chris D'Orso, the Magic's director of marketing. Tickets are available online through www.orlandomagic.com or by calling 1-800-4NBA-TIX.