DeMarre Carroll battled turf toe in addition to sprained knee during Eastern Conference Finals

DeMarre Carroll was a key contributor for the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs before suffering a sprained knee in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. With the series now over, we find out that he was also dealing with turf toe. Carroll told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Jeff Schultz that the injury prevented him from putting any pressure on his left leg.

Carroll told the AJC he also developed turf toe so he could not put any pressure on his left leg or get any elevation. "That's why I kept getting shots blocked," he said. If the injuries had taken place during the regular season, Carroll said, he probably would have sat out three to four weeks. But surgery will not be necessary.

Three of Atlanta's five starters were dealing with injuries at various times throughout the postseason. Kyle Korver is slated for surgery on Wednesday for the ankle injury he suffered in Game 2 against the Cavaliers. A report surfaced on Tuesday that the shoulder injury that sidelined Paul Millsap for five games at the end of the regular season may require surgery during the offseason. Then there is Carroll who by all accounts probably shouldn't have been playing but found a way to gut his way through the final three games of the series.

The Hawks didn't do a lot of talking about their injury situation and certainly don't want to use it as an excuse. Again it shows that there is a measure of luck involved in the postseason in regards to injuries. Atlanta was fortunate for most of the regular season but not so much in the playoffs.