In some ways it should come as no surprise that DeMarre Carroll is the player leading the Atlanta Hawks by example through their first round series.
This is a guy who rarely gets through an interview answer without referring to himself as the Junkyard Dog. Not because it’s contrived or because it’s a persona, but simply because that’s who he really is.
He’s battled harder than most to get this point, and has overcome every obstacle that’s been put in front of him with considerable aplomb. Most people around the NBA had him pegged as little more than a rotational player, but he came into Atlanta and he made a starting spot his own.