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Earlier in the day on Tuesday, it was announced that Hawks small forward DeMarre Carroll was a "game-time decision" for tonight's game against the Indiana Pacers, and now, we have some clarity on his status.
Carroll definitely out. Cartier Martin gets the start. #ATLHawks
— Chris Vivlamore (@ajchawks) February 18, 2014
This is devastating news with regard to the prospects of a victory. Carroll was absent from Atlanta's final game before the All-Star break (a 21-point defeat in Toronto), and without him this season, the Hawks been an abject disaster, posting a 1-4 record with multiple blowout defeats. Because his injury has been described as a minor strain, there is little worry of this becoming a severe concern moving forward, but the fact that he wasn't able to recover over the long break is a bit disconcerting.
From a match-up perspective, Carroll's unavailability is even more significant given that Indiana deploys one of the best wing players in the NBA in Paul George. In his absence, Mike Budenholzer will look to play Cartier Martin (who is reportedly starting) some extended minutes in an effort to keep Kyle Korver fresh, but against a team like Indiana who possesses two upper-tier wings with George and Lance Stephenson, it's a tough a match-up for the size-challenged Hawks.