:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27471075/20140122_ajl_mb2_313.0.jpg)
Small forward DeMarre Carroll has been officially announced as a starter for Saturday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
DeMarre Carroll WILL start for #ATLHawks... Who's tuning in tonight?!
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 26, 2014
After initially being ruled out for both the San Antonio and Milwaukee tilts, Carroll was somewhat surprisingly listed as a "game-time decision". However, after going through warm-ups, the Hawks decided that deploying DeMarre in this particular game was safe despite his ongoing hamstring troubles.
Carroll's inclusion on the perimeter alongside Kyle Korver and Shelvin Mack is huge for many reasons. He has been, by far, the best perimeter defender on the roster this season, and in addition to that simple equation, Carroll's availability is enormous from a depth perspective. Without him, Mike Budenholzer would have been shorthanded in a major way, but depending on how his hamstring responds, Carroll will give him an ultra-reliable option, at least at the start of the game.