Thunder lose Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein to injuries in win vs. Knicks

The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder keep winning. The injury hits keep coming, too.

Veteran guard Alex Caruso and center Isaiah Hartenstein were both ruled out during Wednesday’s 103-100 road win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Caruso was diagnosed with a left hip contusion. Hartenstein exited with left calf tightness.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said the decision to shut both players down came late in the game.

“They were just ruled out for the rest of the game,” Daigneault told reporters, via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “We’ll evaluate them tomorrow, but when they went out, they weren’t coming back.”

Caruso appeared to get the worst of it. With 4:05 remaining in the third quarter, he leapt for a loose ball and landed hard, remaining on the floor briefly before slowly limping to the locker room. He did not return to the bench.

Afterward, Caruso downplayed the injury.

“I’m a little sore,” he said. “But I’m fine. I think I just got hit on the hip in the air.”

Hartenstein’s situation carries a bit more history. He has already missed two stretches this season because of a left calf injury, including a 16-game absence after aggravating it in December. He played 17 minutes against New York, finishing with five rebounds and no shot attempts.

“He was on the bench and then I was told he was out,” Daigneault said. “So it was definitely how he felt.”

Injuries have followed Oklahoma City much of the year. Still, the Thunder continue to roll. Wednesday’s win pushed their streak to four straight and eight of the past 10.