The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Alex Caruso is on the injury report and is listed as out, per Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza. Caruso is dealing with a hip strain that resulted in missing three consecutive games. Here’s everything we know about Alex Caruso’s injury and playing status vs. the Rockets. 

Caruso’s nagging hip injury forced the veteran guard to miss a previous three-game stretch in mid-November against the Pelicans, Suns, and Mavericks and three games toward the start of 2024-25. He returned for two games before re-aggravating his hip in a 109-99 win against the Trail Blazers on Nov. 20. Caruso finished with 17 points on 8-of-11 attempts, two assists, and two steals in 15 minutes.

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Thunder’s Alex Caruso’s playing status vs. Rockets

Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) reacts after a play against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second quarter at Paycom Center
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Given Alex Caruso is ruled out on the injury report, his next chance of returning for the Thunder will be against the Utah Jazz in the final NBA Cup matchup of the group round. Isaiah Joe, rookie Ajay Mitchell, and Cason Wallace have seen an uptick in their respective minutes off the bench. Wallace got the nod in head coach Mark Daigneault’s starting lineup on Friday, and Joe, the game before. 

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The last time these two teams met, the Thunder beat the Rockets 126-107. The Thunder will look to extend their winning streak to five. The Rockets are coming off back-to-back overtime wins against the Timberwolves (117-111) and 76ers (122-115) and are 8-2 in their last ten games.

Jalen Green scored a season-high 41 points in the Rockets’ win against the 76ers. Alperen Sengun recorded a double-double (22 points, 14 rebounds), while Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein enters Sunday’s matchup on a four-game double-double streak. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 35+ points in each of OKC’s last three games.

Alex Caruso did play in the Thunder’s earlier meeting against the Rockets this season in Oklahoma City. He recorded 10 points and four rebounds off the bench, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 29 points.

So, the answer to whether Alex Caruso is playing tonight against the Rockets is no.