Shoes help ailing Hill for first half Thursday

Washington — With the help of some new shoes, Grant Hill made it two games in a row for the first time in a while Thursday night. But he didn’t get past halftime.

The Orlando Magic forward played 12 minutes and scored just two points in the first half against the Washington Wizards before leaving the game for good because of more soreness in his left ankle.

Hill has missed 12 of Orlando’s 41 games this season. When he started Thursday, it marked the first time since Dec. 25 and 27 that he has played in consecutive games.

Hill showed reporters his new size-15 shoe, fitted with an extra strip of rubber on the outside to help ease the tendinitis in his left ankle. Hill has had three operations on the ankle since breaking it three years ago.

NBA reinstates Roberts after drug suspension

New York — Stanley Roberts was reinstated by the NBA and its players’ association on Thursday, more than three years after he was kicked out of the league for failing a drug test.

The Philadelphia 76ers own the rights to the 32-year-old Roberts. If they don’t want him, the 7-foot center will be eligible to sign with any team.

“We would like nothing more than for Philadelphia to call tomorrow,” said Roberts’ agent, Brian Parker. Parker said Roberts had talked to Sixers coach Larry Brown.

Roberts, who played with Shaquille O’Neal at LSU, signed a $725,000 contract with the 76ers on Oct. 19, 1999. He was banned by the NBA the next month after testing positive for what the league said was an “amphetamine-based designer drug.”

NBA probes ‘incident’ between Wallace, referee

Portland, Ore. — The NBA is investigating an encounter between Trail Blazers star Rasheed Wallace and a referee after Portland played Memphis this week.

Referees mentioned an “incident” involving Wallace in a routine report filed after Portland’s 100-92 victory Wednesday night, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.

Frank refused to describe the “incident.” But he said the NBA was investigating and would determine whether any disciplinary action would be taken. There was no timetable.

Wallace scored a season-high 38 points and had 10 rebounds in the game, but was given a technical foul with 9:45 to go in the third quarter by referee Tim Donaghy.

Two seasons ago, Wallace led the league with 41 technical fouls and seven ejections.

Raptors ax Huffman

Toronto — The Raptors terminated the contract of Nate Huffman on Thursday after the rookie center failed to inform the team of his history of knee problems. The 7-foot-1 Huffman, who was out indefinitely because of a sore right knee, averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in seven games for Toronto this season. He had surgery on the knee in October.

Carter hopes to play

Toronto — Vince Carter’s participation in the All-Star game will hinge on his recovery from a knee injury. Carter, the leading vote-getter for the Eastern Conference All-Stars, has missed 19 straight games for the Toronto Raptors because of a strained right knee. He missed 10 games earlier this season with a chronically injured left knee. The All-Star game is Feb. 9 in Atlanta.