<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LOS ANGELES -- The Orlando Magic plan to begin their West Coast trip without the services of Grant Hill, but reinforcements have arrived. Magic Coach Brian Hill said guard Keyon Dooling and center Kelvin Cato -- both of whom have been recovering from injuries -- will be available tonight to face the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Unless their bodies respond negatively from Monday's practice, Dooling and Cato will be back to give the club some additional depth. Hill's groin area remains sore, although Brian Hill said he would re-check with the seven-time all-star today after the shoot-around "to see how he feels.'' Hill most likely won't play until Orlando's game Friday at Portland, considering the wear-and-tear of a back-to-back against the Clippers and the SuperSonics in Seattle on Wednesday. The Magic then face the Trail Blazers and finish the trip Sunday in Sacramento against the Kings. Hill has missed the past two games. In his absence, Jameer Nelson has moved from the bench and into the starting lineup at point guard. He started Saturday night's game in Orlando against the Charlotte Bobcats. Point guard Steve Francis has slid over to shooting guard and shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson to small forward -- Hill's spot. When Grant Hill missed the first 19 games of the season, Hedo Turkoglu replaced him. Brian Hill said he'll start Nelson "on a game-by-game basis. We'll see how it goes. He's playing well.'' Francis said he welcomed the addition of Nelson. "It takes the pressure off me and helps me on defense,'' he said. The Magic (13-18) will get some more experience and defense in the backcourt with the return of Dooling, who signed last summer as a free agent. Dooling has missed the past 20 games with a tear in the tissue on the bottom of his right foot. He has played in just six games this season, having sat out the first five because of a right heel bruise. While Francis and Nelson are point guards in name, they play more like shooting guards. Dooling can contribute to organizing the offense and, at 6 feet 3, can defend some bigger points. Cato is coming back from a bruised left shoulder that has kept him out of the past five games. He underwent major surgery on the shoulder and rotator-cuff area last summer, and it kept him out until midway through the preseason. He also missed six games because of a high right ankle sprain. So far this has been a lost season for Cato, who is in the final year of his contract. He lost his starting job to Tony Battie, and has played in just 18 games. When he was healthy at the start of last season, he was the team's best interior defender -- until injuries struck again. Still, Brian Hill said, "We're real close to getting our team healthy and back together.'' And maybe just in time, especially if Grant Hill can recover.</div> Source
I'll start the betting off at 2/1 odds that Cato is injured again by the end of this West Coast trip. They will give us a nice spark off of the bench hoepefully.
