Oklahoma City’s injury list grew again on Wednesday night, even as the reigning NBA champions edged the New York Knicks 103-100 at Madison Square Garden.
Guard Alex Caruso was ruled out with a left hip contusion and center Isaiah Hartenstein departed because of left calf tightness, the Thunder announced. Both decisions were made late in the game, head coach Mark Daigneault told reporters.
“They were just ruled out for the rest of the game,” Daigneault said, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “We’ll evaluate them tomorrow, but when they went out, they weren’t coming back.”
How the injuries happened
Caruso was hurt with 4:05 remaining in the third quarter when he leaped for a loose ball, landed hard and stayed on the floor for several moments. He slowly made his way to the locker room and did not return to the bench. “I’m a little sore,” Caruso said afterward. “But I’m fine. I think I just got hit on the hip in the air.”
Hartenstein’s exit came after 17 minutes of action in which he grabbed five rebounds without attempting a shot. The 7-foot center has already missed two separate stretches this season with a left calf issue, including a 16-game absence following a December setback. “He was on the bench and then I was told he was out, so it was definitely how he felt,” Daigneault noted.
Thunder keep rolling
Despite the latest setbacks, Oklahoma City extended its winning streak to four and has now taken eight of its past 10 contests. The club will reassess both players on Thursday as it looks to maintain momentum amid a season filled with injuries.
Source: Hoops Wire
