Hawks’ Carroll injured on potential game-tying shot

There was a reason Paul Pierce was so wide open for a potential game-tying 3-pointer.

The Wizards’ forward — already with series heroics — was the beneficiary of a screen that teammate Nene set on the Hawks’ DeMarre Carroll in the final seconds of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series Monday night in Washington, D.C.

Carroll, who was defending Pierce, was clearly hit around the neck trying to fight through the screen and fell to the ground.

Pierce’s shot was off the mark and after two Paul Millsap free throws with less than a second remaining the Hawks had a 106-101 victory to even the series at 2-2. Game 5 is Wednesday night at Philips Arena.

In the postgame locker room, Carroll walked with a pronounced limp. He later told Channel 2 Action News that he injured his hip falling to the ground and suspected a hip pointer, but added he would be “all right.”

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was asked about the sequence by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in his postgame news conference. His answer described a play that would not need a review by the NBA office.

“There was a couple different screens, multiple screens. Nene did a good job of setting a screen on him and he came free. So we’ll look at it. We’ll look at our end-of-game execution. I think we can be significantly better there.”

The play itself was reviewed by the league. According the the NBA’s Two-Minute Report issued Tuesday evening, there should not have been an offensive foul called on Nene setting the screen. According to the report, Nene set the screen on Carroll and gave him the opportunity to stop and/or change direction.

The Hawks did not practice Tuesday, but Budenholzer offered an update on Carroll’s status.

“He is doing good,” Budenholzer said during a conference call with reporters. “Yes, we expect him to play.”

Wall dribbles with left hand: Wizards All-Star point guard John Wall, who has missed the past three games of the series, dribbled a basketball with his injured left hand Tuesday, according to the Washington Post. He will be re-evaluated either Tuesday or Wednesday, coach Randy Wittman said.

Wall, who has five non-displaced fractures in his left hand and wrist, is listed as questionable for Game 5 on Wednesday.