Hawks lose Sefolosha to calf strain

For the last 17 games and most of the last two months, nothing has been able to stop the Atlanta Hawks. Their resiliency is being tested Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Already missing DeMarre Carroll due to general soreness, the Hawks will have to play the final three-plus quarters without his replacement in the starting lineup, Thabo Sefolosha. Sefolosha left the game in the first quarter with a right calf strain and will not return.

Missing both of their top small forward options will make it tough for the Hawks to stick with Portland's bevy of shooters on the wing, and likely means Kyle Korver will slide to the three with the team playing two guards alongside him. That could mean an extended run for Kent Bazemore, in particular, as he was the first man up when Sefolosha checked out.

Sefolosha had played two scoreless minutes with a rebound before checking out. He entered play averaging 5.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in 19.3 minutes.