Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein exit Thunder win vs. Knicks

NEW YORK — In the latest injury blow in a season full of them for the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Alex Caruso (left hip contusion) and Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf tightness) were ruled out during the team’s 103-100 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

“They were just ruled out for the rest of the game,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We’ll evaluate them tomorrow, but when they went out, they weren’t coming back.”

Both players were ruled out midway through the fourth quarter of a Thunder win that extended their lead over the San Antonio Spurs for the top seed in the Western Conference to 3.5 games.

Caruso went up for a loose ball with 4:05 to go in the third quarter and then landed in a heap. He was clearly in pain before slowly limping to the locker room. He never returned to the bench.

After the game, Caruso said he was a little sore but otherwise fine. He added that he thought he got hit on the hip in the air.

Hartenstein already has missed two stints this season because of a left calf injury, including 16 games after the second occurrence in late December. He sat out Tuesday’s game in Chicago, along with reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, for injury maintenance. Against the Knicks, he played only 17 minutes, going scoreless and not taking a shot but grabbing five rebounds.

“He was on the bench, and then I was told he was out,” Daigneault said, “so it was definitely how he felt when he went over there. I don’t know if there was an event or not, or if it was acute.”

Oklahoma City has dealt with a series of injuries all season. Jalen Williams (hamstring strain) and Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain, ankle sprain) are out, and Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein, among others, have been sidelined with other ailments.

Despite that, the Thunder have maintained their place atop the West thanks to their 24-1 start to the season. After Wednesday’s victory, which was powered by Chet Holmgren (28 points, eight rebounds) and Gilgeous-Alexander (26 points, eight assists), they’ve won four games in a row and eight of their past 10.