NBA: Tests show Atlanta's Carroll only has bone bruise

Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll, helped off the court in the fourth quarter of a playoff loss with a sore left knee, learned Thursday that he only suffered a bone bruise. The Hawks' playoff scoring leader with 17.1 points a game was running to the basket Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening game of the NBA Eastern Conference finals when his knee buckled on a fast break after a steal off LeBron James. The Cavaliers won the game 97-89. Carroll fell to the court and was writhing in pain before being helped off to the locker room with 4:59 remaining in the final period without putting weight on his left leg. While Carroll was listed as day-to-day by the Hawks and an MRI showed no ligament or structural damage, there was also no assurance he would return for game two Friday. And if he did, there was no guarantee how many minutes Carroll might see. "Somebody has to step up," said Hawks guard Jeff Teague. The major question for Atlanta is who will defend Cavaliers' superstar James. Paul Millsap, who handled the duties at times in the opener, likely won't return to that role. "DeMarre is a perimeter player," said Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer. "I think most likely (we will) play more Kent Bazemore... Mike Scott and Mike Muscala are always ready." Bazemore, a guard, averaged only 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 17 minutes a game for the Hawks while forward Scott had 7.8 points and 2.9 rebounds a game over 16 minutes and center-forward Muscala had 4.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 12 minutes a game.