INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- George Hill played four-on-four with teammates and coaches, taking contact once again, prior to the Cleveland Cavaliers leaving for their two-game road trip Tuesday afternoon.
He's "progressing," according to head coach Larry Drew. Hill could even make his return Wednesday night against Oklahoma City, a team source told cleveland.com.
As the next step, the Cavs had Hill go through the post-practice contact session and is expected to take part in Wednesday's shootaround in Oklahoma City. His official status will be determined after that, as the training staff wants to see how Hill responds after two straight days of on-court work.
If there are no setbacks, Hill will get the green light to suit up for the first time since Nov. 5, when he suffered a sprained right shoulder late in that game against Orlando.
Hill hit the three-week mark on Monday night, missing his eighth consecutive contest.
Drew reiterated Tuesday that he hadn't decided whether Hill would start at point guard when he's healthy. Collin Sexton has filled in admirably during Hill's extended absence, scoring double figures the last eight games.
Following Wednesday's matchup in Oklahoma City, the Cavs will play a weekend back-to-back against Boston and Toronto -- continuing a gauntlet of All-Star point guards that started Monday against Minnesota.
Having Hill back for this stretch would be important, especially with the Cavs putting a big bulk of the offensive and defensive responsibility on Sexton lately.
"Experience in the fact that he's played against those guys, he knows those guys," Drew said of Hill. "It's a big task to have to defend guys like that. A part of of Collin's growth process is to prepare himself to go out and play against those guys. Collin is not going to shy away. He's going to compete. If I tell him that's his matchup he's going to compete to the best of his ability.
"Obviously having a veteran like George Hill that can defend those guys as well and be in Collin's ear does help a lot."