The Oklahoma City Thunder lost more than a rotation piece on Monday night. Alex Caruso left the game against the Phoenix Suns with a right ankle sprain and was ruled out for the rest of the night, turning a live injury update into an immediate setback for a team already managing injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace.
Caruso exited with 1:34 left in the second quarter, and Jaylin Williams replaced him in the lineup. Before leaving, Caruso had already made his presence felt off the bench, finishing with nine points, two rebounds and three assists in nine minutes. The production showed how quickly he had settled into the game before the injury changed the Thunder's night.
What happened to Alex Caruso?
Caruso went to the locker room after suffering the right ankle sprain and did not return. DraftKings Network later reported that he would not be back for the remainder of the game, which confirmed the Thunder would have to finish the night without him.
For Oklahoma City, the concern is not just the one-game absence. Losing Caruso in real time adds more strain to a backcourt that is already dealing with injuries and leaves the Thunder thinner while they continue their matchup with Phoenix.
