The Atlanta Hawks suffered a significant setback on Wednesday night after losing Game 1 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the worst news was over an injury.
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DeMarre Carroll left the 97-89 loss with a sprained left knee that he suffered in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavs.
After falling to the floor in pain and laying on the ground for a few minutes, Carroll was then helped off the court as he hopped on one leg and headed straight back to the locker room.
The Hawks’ starting small forward didn’t return to the game and will have an MRI scan on Thursday to discover the full extent of the damage with the initial reaction not promising.
Carroll was seen using crutches after the game, and coach Mike Budenholzer conceded that there is great concern for him on a health level without even considering the ramifications it could have on the Hawks’ season.
“He’s such a great teammate,” Budenholzer said, according to ESPN.
“Everybody is just concerned about DeMarre. … I’m hoping he’s ready to help us as soon as possible.”
In 13 playoff games this year, Carroll is averaging 17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists with a shooting percentage of 52.4 percent while going 43.9 percent from beyond the arc.
The forward plays a key role in Budenholzer’s system offensively, but he was set to be tasked with being the primary defender on LeBron James this series.
The two-time NBA champion scored 31 points on Wednesday night, and with no Carroll to guard him potentially for the rest of this series, it could be crucial in who advances to the NBA Finals.
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