Luol Deng Game-Time Decision; Toronto's Carroll Questionable
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The Miami Heat will be trying to stave off elimination Friday night when it hosts the Toronto Raptors at AmericanAirlines Arena for game six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Miami may or may not have the services of small forward Luol Deng for Friday's game, as his left wrist injury – which he sustained in the first half of game five – has been diagnosed as a deep bruise and will be evaluated closer to the game's tip to whether or not Deng can play.
Heat medical staff feared that Deng, who's been averaging 7.8 points on 36 percent shooting and 5.4 rebounds in the series, had suffered a more severe injury to the wrist – but an MRI revealed that it was simply a bruise.
If Deng is unable to play, Gerald Green would likely be inserted into the Heat's starting lineup in his place.
Miami's series with the Raptors has become quite the battle of attrition. The Heat, facing a 3-2 deficit, have played the past three games without big man Hassan Whiteside, who's missed action due to a sprained MCL.
The injury bug has bitten the Raptors too. Toronto's starting center Jonas Valanciunas has missed the same amount of time as Whiteside and has been ruled out for the duration of the series with an ankle injury.
Toronto's Demarre Carroll is also listed on the injury report as questionable after he injured his wrist while falling to the floor during game five. Test on Carroll's wrist also showed minor damage and team officials said he's also a game-time decision for the Raptors.
