Orlando, Fla. ? Grant Hill expects to miss games this season because of his ailing ankle, but the Orlando star veteran intends to play against Sacramento tonight.

Whether he finishes the game is a decision that will be made by Orlando’s coaches and medical staff.

“Later in the year, we’ll be less cautious,” Magic coach Doc Rivers said. “But right now, we just want to keep managing his minutes.”

Hill has had three operations in 212 years. On Saturday, he felt pain in his left ankle and was sidelined for the second half of the win at Milwaukee.

“It may happen again it may happen a couple of times where I have to sit out a game,” Hill said Monday. “The only bad thing about it is, it messes up my stats.”

Hill was referring to his two points, one rebound, one assist line he posted against the Bucks in 10 minutes. Aside from that, Hill has looked like the five-time All Star he is, averaging 16 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25 minutes during the Magic’s 3-1 start.

On Friday, the Magic fell behind by 26 points in the second quarter, but Hill’s ability to draw fouls brought the team back. He finished with 27 points, including a franchise-record 17 foul shots without a miss, in 33 minutes during a 111-105 loss.

“That was a coach’s nightmare, more than anything,” Rivers said. “It was like Minnesota was teasing us enough to keep all our guys on the floor and expend them.”

Bird’s group optimistic

Charlotte, N.C. A potential ownership group that includes Larry Bird is operating under the assumption the NBA will award it the rights to a new Charlotte franchise.

But Boston-area businessman Steve Belkin said Monday that the league has not yet approved his application.

“We’ve heard rumors that we are the front-runners, but it’s not true that we have already been selected,” Belkin said. “We’re planning on us getting the franchise because we need to get plans on the way.”

Bird would be the general manager if Belkin’s group wins the franchise.

One of the other known groups includes former Black Entertainment Television owner Robert Johnson. Miami Heat minority owner Bob Sturges is part of a third group.

Ex-Nets owner dies

East Rutherford, N.J. Bernard Mann, a former part-owner and president of the New Jersey Nets of the NBA and a prominent harness racing horseman, has died. He was 73.

Mann, part of the ownership group when the Nets joined the NBA in 1976, died Thursday. He served as the Nets president from the mid-1980s to early in the 1990s.