Raptors get the Carroll they paid for in Game 3 win
In Thursday's Game 3 victory over the Indiana Pacers, DeMarre Carroll gave the Toronto Raptors what many expected from him coming into the season.
But after everything the embattled forward's body has endured this year, that result - this early in the postseason - has to be a pleasant surprise for Toronto.
After suiting up for just 26 regular-season games, thanks to plantar fasciitis and a knee injury that required mid-season surgery, Carroll logged a total of 39 minutes between Games 1 and 2, scoring eight points, attempting only one 3-pointer, and looking a step slower than usual on the defensive end.
In fact, Carroll entered Indiana on Thursday having yet to crack the 21-minute mark or double-digit scoring in five games since returning from a three-month absence, so it was no wonder many observers assumed he would need at least a round or two to truly find his rhythm.
So much for that, as Carroll was a two-way force in Game 3, scoring 17 points, knocking down three of his nine attempts from long range, grabbing five rebounds, and shutting down Paul George over 35 minutes of inspiring play.
He didn't shoot the ball particularly well, but his willingness to fire away from behind the arc and sharp off-ball movement can help the Raptors offense while DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry search for slivers of space.
His biggest contributions, however, remain on the defensive end.
After watching George have his way over two games in Toronto, Dwane Casey turned to Carroll full-time in Game 3, and the results were tremendous for the visitors.
In seven minutes with Carroll on the bench, George scored seven points on 2-of-4 shooting without committing a turnover. In the 35:10 that Carroll hounded him, George scored 18 points on 4-of-15 shooting while turning the ball over four times.
Whether it was bodying him away from the ball and making George catch it outside of his preferred spot or just forcing him into more consistently contested shots, Carroll's impact on the All-Star forward was evident.
That's the Carroll the Raptors paid for last summer, and the difference maker Raptors' fans envisioned as the equivalent of a trade deadline acquisition upon his return to the lineup.
Playing Thursday night and then Saturday afternoon, as the Raptors and Pacers will do, is about as little rest as teams will encounter during the playoffs, so if Carroll looks no worse for wear as a 3-and-D threat again in Game 4, there should be little doubt left regarding his health and conditioning.
And if that's the case, that's bad news for George, for the Pacers, and perhaps for the rest of the Eastern Conference.