Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso was helped to the locker room during the first half of Monday night’s 125-114 win over the Phoenix Suns and was later ruled out with a right ankle sprain.
The injury arrives at a difficult time for Oklahoma City. Caruso was expected to take on more minutes after Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace suffered long-term injuries to their starting roles. Caruso came up limping in the final two minutes of the second quarter, with the Thunder leading 61-47.
After the game, coach Mark Daigneault said the injury was just an ankle sprain, describing it as “nothing else.”
Williams and Wallace Face Surgery
Williams and Wallace were hurt in Sunday night’s 108-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, and both will require surgery. Chet Holmgren was a third starter absent from the lineup, missing Monday’s game with patellar tendinitis in his right knee.
Replacements Step Up
Ajay Mitchell started in place of Williams and gave the Thunder a lift with 18 points in the first half. He finished with 30 points. Jared McCain started in place of Wallace and contributed 18 points.