The leading scorer for the Atlanta Hawks and arguably the best player of the team was expected to play a major role in the team’s defensive structure against Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James, Carroll with five points on 2-for-7 shooting, three assists, two steals and one rebound in game 1, which the Cavaliers won, 97-89, knocking down home-court advantage from the Hawks and now leading 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, a breakout player since he joined the Atlanta Hawks for the 2013-14 season averaging 12.6 points while shooting 39.5 percent from three-point land during the regular season, his numbers were easily trending up going into Wednesday night game averaging 17.1 per game and 6.8 rebounds for the first two rounds in the playoffs.
Carroll suffered a non-con tact injury to his left knee with 4:59 remaining in the fourth quarter, trying to make a move over defensive Iman Shumpert as soon as he stepped down on his left leg he was already in pain, taking a closer look is clear the leg made an unnatural motion sending the Hawk to the ground immediately grasping the left knee between hands, obviously in pain, Carroll was helped off the court by teammate Kent Bazemore and Wally Blase the Hawks athletic trainer making an effort into not putting any weight on his left leg.
If DeMarre Carroll isn’t able to come back for the season it will spell disaster for the Atlanta Hawks with an already injured perimeter Thabo Sefolosha’s fractured fibula and ligament damage, the Atlanta Hawks wing defense will have to rely on Kent Bazemore or going further down the bench Elton Brand or John Jenkins in the event Carroll misses extended time, some reassuring came later from the locker room that the injury was not as bad as it looked, the worst possible time for both The Atlanta Hawks and DeMarre Carroll as his unrestricted free agent status is scheduled for this summer, still too soon to speculate on the availability of his market not until more comes to light about his left leg, DeMarre will undergo an MRI scheduled for Thursday to determine the severity of the sprain after the game we see a still in pain DeMarre leaving the the Philips Arena on crutches hopefully everything will work out for the very talented 28 year old.
