Raptors’ DeMarre Carroll Injures Wrist In 99-91 Game 5 Win Over Heat

DeMarre Carroll was sent to the hospital for tests on his left wrist after the Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat 99-91 in Game 5 at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday night to gain a 3-2 lead in the series. On the Heat’s side, Luol Deng also left the game in the third quarter with a left wrist injury.

Raptors’ DeMarre Carroll Injures Wrist In 99-91 Game 5 Win Over Heat

These are just two of a long list of injuries that have plagued both teams in this intense Eastern Conference Semifinal series.

Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan headed to the locker room in the fourth quarter to nurse an injured thumb, but returned with 4:17 remaining in the game. He said, “It felt like a blow torch on my hand.”

Miami center Hassan Whiteside, who is still recovering from a knee injury, didn’t even make the trip to Toronto and remains day-to-day. Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas, out with an ankle injury, was seen after the game, minus his walking boot but moving slowly with a big limp. He is out for the series.

Furthermore, Toronto all-star Kyle Lowry is sporting new Band-Aids each game and is nursing a sore elbow. Heat point guard Goran Dragic needed eight stitches when his teeth went through his bottom lip after a hard collision with DeRozan in Game 2.

With about 1:16 left in the third quarter and the Raptors leading 73-62, Carroll hit the ground hard after running into Dragic, who seemingly attempted to set a block and appeared to land awkwardly on his wrist after a drive to the rim. The Toronto forward stayed on the floor for quite some time, evidently in pain, with teammates looking on as he was attended to under the Heat basket.

“It was very scary,” said Raptors forward Patrick Patterson. “I didn’t know what happened, I didn’t really get a good look at it. But I stood up and he was still laying down on the ground.

“Hopefully he’s OK. Hopefully whatever tests they do, they all come back negative and he’s able to play. But yeah it was definitely scary. Of course we were thinking the worst. With JV going down, we can’t afford to lose DeMarre.”

The Raptors stated the injury was a left wrist contusion, with X-Rays negative. Carroll did not answer any questions from the media following the game. He had six points in 26 minutes 22 seconds. The forward has had an injury-plagued season, playing just 26 regular-season games due to a knee injury.

The Heat said X-rays were inconclusive on Deng, who had four points in 24:20. An MRI is planned in Miami.

Game 6 is set for Friday in Miami.

PHOTO: INDIANAPOLIS, IN – APRIL 21: DeMarre Carroll #5 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates during the 101-85 win over the Indiana Pacers in game three of the 2016 NBA Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on April 21, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Article by Pablo Mena