Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer called starting small forward DeMarre Carroll a game-time decision Friday morning before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. However, it appears unlikely he will be able to play.
Carroll suffered a left knee sprain late in the fourth quarter of Game 1 Wednesday. Carroll was at the team shootaround Friday morning but walked to and from the court, wearing a knee brace, with a slight limp. He came off the court well after teammates went to the locker room.
“We’ll see how he does the rest of the day and if he progresses,” Budenholzer said. “He did some things this morning and we are hopeful for the best.”
Carroll was not made available to the media following shootaround. Budenholzer said he would not speculate whether he was hopeful that Carroll would start or just be available.
Budenholzer attempted to laugh off a question about Carroll’s status considering the fact he walked gingerly before and after the morning session.
“Yes, OK, sure, gingerly,” Budenholzer said. “Makes me think of Gilligan’s Island.”
Several players spoke following the workout about Carroll, offering rehearsed near exact answers.
“It’s hard to tell, we have a pretty light shootaround,” said Kent Bazemore, who will likely start in place of Carroll and be the primary defender of Cavaliers star LeBron James. “It’s not where guys really break a sweat. … It’s hard to tell.”
Bazemore appeared upbeat with the possbility of starting and guarding James.
“It’s great,” Bazemore said. “It’s a great platform to show what you can do. They brought me here as a defender and that’s my job. What a great measuring stick to go up against one of the best. … It’s tough but it’s what you sign up for. It’s a challenge I love. I love guarding the best players. I’ve been doing it all my life. This is no different. The tools I have and the preparation up to this point, I think I’ve prepared myself to do a good job.”
About the Author
