Bittersweet victory for Oklahoma City Thunder in NY: we tell you the reason

The Oklahoma City Thunder secured a prestigious victory at Madison Square Garden by defeating the New York Knicks 103-100. However, the triumph was accompanied by new concerns in the form of injuries in a season where physical issues have been a constant for the current NBA champions.

Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein had to leave the game during the final quarter and did not return to the court. As confirmed by coach Mark Daigneault after the match, both players were ruled out for the remainder of the game as soon as they left the court.

"They were simply ruled out for the rest of the game. We will assess them tomorrow, but once they departed, they were not going to return," explained the coach.

The victory allowed Oklahoma City to extend their lead at the top of the Western Conference. Following this win, the Thunder lead the San Antonio Spurs by 3.5 games in the battle for the top spot.

Caruso got injured with 4:05 left in the third quarter. The shooting guard jumped to contest a loose ball and fell hard to the ground, remaining on the floor for a few seconds. Clearly in pain, he slowly got up and limped off to the locker rooms. He did not return to the bench for the rest of the game.

After the game, Caruso himself explained that he was feeling a bit sore, although it didn't seem to be a serious injury initially. The player mentioned that he likely took a hit on the hip while airborne during the play.

On the other hand, Hartenstein has been dealing with issues in his left calf throughout the season. The center has already had to miss two periods of competition due to this injury, including a stretch of 16 games after a setback in late December.

Hartenstein also did not play in the Tuesday game against Chicago, in that case for physical maintenance, just like reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Against the Knicks, he only played 17 minutes, during which he did not score or attempt a shot but grabbed five rebounds.

Daigneault explained that the coaching staff did not witness a specific incident that caused the issue. "I was on the bench, and then I was told he was out, so it must have been based on how he was when he went there. I don't know if there was a specific play or if it was sudden," said the coach.

Injuries have plagued Oklahoma City for much of the season. Key players like Jalen Williams, with a hamstring strain, and Ajay Mitchell, who has an abdominal injury and an ankle sprain, are also sidelined, while others like Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein have had to be absent at different times due to various discomforts.

OKC, at the top of the West

Nevertheless, the Thunder have managed to stay at the top of the West thanks, in large part, to their extraordinary start to the season, with a record of 24 wins and only one loss.

In the victory against the Knicks, Chet Holmgren once again stood out, scoring 28 points and grabbing eight rebounds, and Gilgeous-Alexander, who delivered 26 points and eight assists. With this outcome, Oklahoma City has won four consecutive games and eight of their last ten matches.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Victoria agridulce de Oklahoma City Thunder en NY: os contamos el motivo