DeMarre Carroll to return to Raptors lineup after missing last 41 games
DeMarre Carroll was the glue that held last season's 60-win Atlanta Hawks team together, and he was its best player during a postseason run that went all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
That performance came in a contract year, and it earned Carroll a deal worth $60 million over four years with the Raptors last summer. A knee injury has limited his contributions this season, but Toronto announced he will return to the lineup on Thursday for a matchup against his former team after missing the last 41 games.
DeMarre Carroll will be active for tonight's game in Atlanta. Missed the past 41 games (Jan. 6, arthroscopic right knee surgery). #rtz
— RaptorsMR (@RaptorsMR) April 7, 2016
The Raptors are sitting in second place in the East, just three games back of the Cavaliers. Toronto is really the only team that would appear to have a legitimate shot at upsetting Cleveland in a postseason series, and whatever chance they may have had will improve dramatically if Carroll can contribute the way he did last year.
Before going down with the injury, Carroll averaged 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 32 minutes per game for the Raptors this season, but on the defensive end of the floor is where he shines the most.
