Isaiah Hartenstein looks back at round one and looks ahead to next opponent after Thunder practice Q: What stood out most about your team’s performance in Round One A: I think we did a good job staying aggressive We won in different ways and kept a zero-zero mentality throughout the series Q: What does "winning the days" between games look like for your team Mark [Daigneault] does a great job keeping us focused while also giving us rest It’s similar to our earlier “mini-camp” mentality Q: Are you anxious watching other playoff games during the break Q: What’s your perspective on the Clippers vs We’ll need to be ready for more in-series adjustments compared to Round One Q: How has (unspecified player) looked since returning from injury A: He’s been great—getting more comfortable in his role and contributing on both ends Q: Has the physicality of the playoffs felt different this year but intensity always goes up in the postseason Q: What have you noticed about playing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the playoffs A: Same as the regular season—he plays at an MVP level every night We just try to match or set the tone physically Q: Mark Daigneault called you a "badass" culturally I respect him for how he prepares and coaches Q: Your rim protection stood out—instinct or technique Chet and I have figured out when to rotate Q: What does \"winning the days\" between games look like for your team Q: Mark Daigneault called you a \"badass\" culturally and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox The NBA has already announced the start time and dates for Games 1-4 of Round 2 It is between the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets whose first round series is going the distance with a Game 7 to be played on Saturday May 3 to determine the Round 2 matchup for the Oklahoma City Thunder OKC will be considered the favorites no matter who advances as the Thunder have won 68 regular season games en route to a sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1 Oklahoma City is in the driver's seat out West This summer, to bolster its roster, the Thunder signed Isaiah Hartenstein to a massive pact in a move that has worked out wonderfully for the Bricktown Ballers Hartenstein has spent time with both the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets and earlier this week at Thunder practice the seven-footer was asked about the highly competitive Round 1 series I think you see it at a night-to-night basis The adjustments they are both doing on a night-to-night basis that is something we have to be a little bit more prepared for compared to the first series where it was more just kinda an up-and-down game and there probably weren't a lot of adjustments So just being ready for that is going to be big for us," Hartenstein said at OKC Thunder practice this series The Thunder will know its fate on Saturday night Oklahoma City will be in store for a bigger chess match than Memphis provided many are convinced that the OKC Thunder are still a piece away from achieving ultimate glory and becoming the game's next great dynasty Despite the historic pace they have been on over these past two years and the fact that they're favorites to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy this postseason From arguments about how their lack of deep playoff run experience could hold them back to concerns over whether Jalen Williams is capable of being a trusty number two on a title-winning team cases have been made left and right when it comes to why people are not yet sold on this iteration of the Thunder Because of this, it should come as no surprise that, amid the widespread Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors that have been circulating since the Bucks were eliminated by the Pacers on Tuesday night, OKC has been frequently mentioned as a possible trade destination this offseason With their treasure trove of draft capital coupled with their bevy of recently selected first-round talents still attached to rookie-scale deals it's hard to blame people for discussing such a hypothetical based on Sam Presti's track record during his tenure running the show from the executive branch the likelihood of Oklahoma City partaking in such a monster exchange should be considered quite low And while some may be a bit unenthusiastic about this kind of take they will need to look no further than the club's biggest signing (both figuratively and literally) from last summer's free agency period to be reminded of how successful the franchise has been with pursuing ideal-fit role players over high-priced stars After being bounced by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semifinals last season calls for Oklahoma City to cash in on their enormous number of assets in exchange for more star power to surround Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with became deafeningly loud The hope among many fans and pundits was that they would look for a talent upgrade in the frontcourt department to help address their size discrepancy -- something that played a large role in their ultimate demise -- and several hypothetical trade ideas were proposed to find a solution for exactly this instead opted for the much simpler and quieter approach of scouring the free agency market only to wind up signing a six-year role player in Hartenstein Now, was such a move as celebrated among the fanbase as, say, a blockbuster swing for All-Star Lauri Markkanen would have been the big man has proven to be one of the best-case scenario additions for this top-ranked Thunder team as the 7-footer put forth a career-best campaign of 11.2 points and 1.1 blocks while ranking fourth on this 68-win club in plus-minus (+7.3) among those who played over 50 games on the year including rebounding (went from 27 ranked in 2023-24 to 11) and opponent points in the paint (seventh to first) What's more impressive about all this is the fact that it took literally zero key departures to make such an addition happen as he was signed outright in free agency by way of a three-year Adding a splashy new asset via the trade market like Giannis would require a ton of assets to be coughed up (both draft capital and current players) to make it possible which would likely wind up gutting a large chunk of the team's infrastructure though their star power has certainly paved the way throughout this historic 2024-25 season it has been the Thunder's depth that truly separates them from the rest of the NBA even though going the way of adding form-fitting role players on the open market rather than striking on a top-billed baller in a blockbuster may not be the most entertaining course of action it has proven to be the right one for this team to have taken Unless OKC can somehow execute a steal of a deal to bring on another star hopefully this aforementioned approach will not be abandoned come the offseason © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER From arguments about how their lack of deep playoff run experience could hold them back to concerns over whether Jalen Williams is capable of being a trusty number two on a title-winning team Because of this, it should come as no surprise that, amid the widespread Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors that have been circulating since the Bucks were eliminated by the Pacers on Tuesday night, OKC has been frequently mentioned as a possible trade destination this offseason Now, was such a move as celebrated among the fanbase as, say, a blockbuster swing for All-Star Lauri Markkanen would have been The Oklahoma City Thunder held playoff practice on Wednesday They continue to enjoy a week off after they swept the Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1 of the 2025 NBA playoffs The Denver Nuggets blew out the LA Clippers in a Game 5 win to go up 3-2 in the first-round series Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and Isaiah Hartenstein talked to the local media after practice Daigneault discussed the playoff whistle they've experienced so far while Hartenstein talked about what it meant to get praised by his head coach for his cultural fit OKLAHOMA CITY — There’s a stat sheet within Chet Holmgren’s long reach His Oklahoma City Thunder just beat the Chicago Bulls for the 62nd of their 68 regular-season wins It has nothing to do with the numbers on it The rising young center with superstar aspirations spent his entire summer sharpening his skill set in belief he was ready for a third-season explosion four blocks and two steals in an opening night blowout win in Denver he capped off a nine-game surge with 29 points in a blowout win over the Houston Rockets Golden State Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins drove baseline in the first quarter nailed Holmgren on his leap to the rim at the right angle and sent the thin Thunder center on a perpendicular fall to the floor at a dangerous angle “I worked my tail off last summer,” he tells The Athletic “I don’t think I really did anything other than just work out and then chill until I could work out again That’s when he crumples up the stat sheet and lobs it toward the corner of the Thunder’s meeting room “All that work last summer,” Holmgren says with a sigh The win total and historic point differential tell the tale of a Thunder dream season They employ the likely Most Valuable Player cleared their conference by 16 games and have home court through the NBA Finals if they advance that far But they’ve had adversity peppered throughout while Holmgren worked on his body and game the Thunder used a valuable chunk of cap space to sign a second center in what they felt could be a successful twin-tower approach general manager Sam Presti and head coach Mark Daigneault flew to Oregon to pitch Isaiah Hartenstein on a three-year “It’s not like I was in a nice little Los Angeles setup,” Hartenstein told The Athletic In their second-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks last May the Thunder’s rebounding flaws and lack of interior depth hurt in a series decided by the slimmest of margins So the Thunder targeted and signed Hartenstein because they felt he was the type of player and personality who could shore-up the weakness while fitting in with their strengths But Hartenstein broke his left hand in the preseason and didn’t return until after Holmgren fractured his hip stir-crazy from an injury that tested his mental resilience “I feel like I had a decent idea of my gratitude for just being able to live a regular life Because when I had my foot surgery (as a rookie) Holmgren then repositions himself in his seat contorting his 7-foot-1 frame to lie uncomfortably on his side in a stretched-out position you are laying in this position for four weeks in bed the Thunder found a bunch of small-ball lineups that worked They integrated Hartenstein into the mix and he found a rhythm with his new teammates Holmgren spent the middle portion of his rehab process working on a quicker catch-and-shoot trigger and believes his 3-point shot is in a better place But the Thunder signed Hartenstein to play next to Holmgren and raise their playoff ceiling So when Holmgren was finally cleared in the season’s 50th game Daigneault started the two centers together They needed to speed up the familiarity process “You have 48 minutes at the five,” Daigneault said they should account for more than 48 minutes between them And so it puts you in a position where it’s like do you want to get your best players on the court or not we’d like to get our best players on the court Sometimes you have to adapt tactically or lineup-wise in order to do that.” Holmgren and Hartenstein were both active on the same night 20 times this season Daigneault got them on the floor 316 minutes together It isn’t a gigantic sample — 39 other Thunder two-man combinations played more together — but it isn’t insignificant either Daigneault said it’s enough to make him feel comfortable entering the playoffs “It would be more uncomfortable if it was like really stalling,” Daigneault said “If it wasn’t getting off the ground or if it was low-impact or if it was clunky then that’s a harder decision of (how much to use it) But it was good right away in unpredictable ways.” The Holmgren and Hartenstein twin-tower combination outscored opponents by 96 points in their 316 minutes together It had an offensive rating of 122.9 and a defensive rating of 109.4 the best rebounding combination (77.4 percent rebound rate) of any of their top-50 most used two-man groups Daigneault called Holmgren and Hartenstein “easily” two of the league’s top-10 rim protectors But it’s the other side that has him encouraged “The offensive flow that we’ve been able to maintain with two seven-footers on the floor (is key),” Daigneault said “It’s something that always concerns you when you go super big But I think it speaks to how skilled those guys are They’re both in their own way very dynamic.” There have been awkward moments and empty stretches I don’t know how this might work,’” Hartenstein said “We were trying to get out of each other’s way but through that we got in each other’s way Daigneault brought Hartenstein and Holmgren together after a home practice and they watched a bunch of film together to iron out the flaws “Mark is such a smart coach,” Hartenstein said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams missed a couple games here and there giving Hartenstein and Holmgren a bit more offensive freedom to explore in lineup combinations without their primary scorers “It switches on and off,” Hartenstein said “Either I’m facilitating to him or he’s facilitating to me And I think it’s been impressive how he’s coming off handoffs screening genius and low-usage approach help it work “It’s not like I’m just standing in the way or asking for lobs,” he said But it’s Holmgren’s unique skill set that even allowed the Thunder to explore the Hartenstein idea He wouldn’t have come if it was to just strictly be Holmgren’s backup dribble and playmake to a rare degree for a 7-footer Plus he has some experience in what he called a “hybrid” role playing center on defense but some power forward on offense in college at Gonzaga with Drew Timme in the post “I’d still say what’s being asked of me is a lot different,” Holmgren said “Because he’s kind of like the connection hub Whoever’s at the five for us is kind of the connection hub and he’s out there screening we have the (center) connect things and then we just have wings basically The Thunder enter the playoffs confident their double-big approach can work against any type of lineup “or any team,” Daigneault said But for it to turn into one of the swing factors in the Western Conference lifting the Thunder franchise to its first finals since 2012 there’s an internal feeling that it must turn from great to elite on the defensive end 108 (defensive rating) is really good,” Daigneault said “But I think it’s got more upside because they’re not used to being on the perimeter that much the job responsibility remains much of the same He will typically guard the opposing center and be the one asked to protect the paint in a more traditional sense Holmgren is the one thrown out of his defensive comfort zone This is the first time he’s played in a lineup when he isn’t the primary rim protector the challenge when I’m playing more of a perimeter spot on defense isn’t even guarding the ball or guarding a primary person in action,” Holmgren said Then he paused to think how much he should detail it “I can say this because it’s on tape,” Holmgren said “My problem is as a shot blocker — and any shot blocker will tell you this — your first instinct is the ball.” Holmgren and Hartenstein referenced a road game against the Sacramento Kings in late March The Thunder won easily and only gave up 105 points to a productive offense But they put Hartenstein on Domantas Sabonis and had Holmgren guard Keegan Murray Most of them were when Holmgren wandered too far off of him falling victim to his instinct to roam and prioritize paint protection over the perimeter Here are two first-quarter examples where Holmgren (left side of both plays) sags too far off Murray while Sabonis is posting up against Hartenstein and then ventures too far into the mix when he should stay closer to Murray That’s a night that Holmgren views as a frustration point but a valuable regular-season learning lesson considering the type of offensive challenges that await in the playoffs “Keegan was hitting shots and a lot of those came on overhelps,” Holmgren said “You take away those 3s that he hit and they score like 65 points… You can’t shut anybody out but if we can make it extremely tough on all areas of the floor What can we be if we don’t give those looks?” The Thunder believe that answer can be a championship they plan to deploy Holmgren and Hartenstein together plenty in a twin-tower approach they didn’t have in their toolbox in their previous playoff run “The reason we’ve gone small in the past is to get our best guys on the court,” Daigneault said We don’t want to be beholden to one way of playing We want to figure out how to get to our highest impact players and those guys are obviously two of our highest-impact players.” (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: William Purnell and Patrick Smith / Getty Images) Anthony Slater is a senior writer covering the Golden State Warriors for The Athletic. He's covered the NBA for a decade. Previously, he reported on the Oklahoma City Thunder for The Oklahoman. Follow Anthony on Twitter @anthonyVslater Hartenstein was the stage manager for a wide range of landmark original Broadway productions Frank Hartenstein, a revered stage manager whose indelible impact was inescapable over the last 50 years, died February 21 of pneumonia. News of his passing was confirmed by his wife, Melanie Vaughan as well as acclaimed revivals of Othello in 1982, The King and I in 1990 shepherding a wide range of work from Michael Bennett Hartenstein enjoyed a long-term association with director Des McAnuff beginning with Big River in 1985 with the pair continuing to work hand in hand on The Who’s Tommy How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and the 2012 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar Hartenstein's final Broadway credit.  Hartenstein worked often at the La Jolla Playhouse and in London. On New Year’s Eve 1999 as the new millenium dawned Hartenstein called the cues in Times Square dropping the famous ball at midnight. He was on the Council of Actors’ Equity Association for 10 years during which time he was a Tony Award voter and over the years served as a guest instructor in stage management at Rutgers University and the University of California at San Diego and inspired several generations of aspiring stage managers He is survived by his sister Barbara, three nephews, and his wife Melanie, whom he married in 1985 after meeting during the first national tour of Sweeney Todd. A memorial service will be organized later this year. The family asks that memorial contributions to honor Mr. Hartenstein be made to the Entertainment Community Fund or Broadway Cares Noah Himmelstein will direct Matthew Puckett's original musical Neumann is the Tony nominated choreographer behind Hadestown and Swept Away one Tony winner is playing the trumpet while the other is channeling Madame Rose Due to the expansive nature of Off-Broadway and institutes have been revealed by the industry stalwart Thank You!You have now been added to the list Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites Our website is made possible bydisplaying online advertisements to our visitors Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you BOSTON — Of all the configurations seen across their 11 games together, it took Tuesday’s second-quarter lineup for the Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein pairing to look euphoric Oklahoma City’s MVP candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, was on the bench. Jalen Williams wasn’t available The pair of big men were joined by Cason Wallace In the near-five minute span to begin the second quarter of the Thunder’s 118-112 win, those five held a 55.6 net rating, outscoring the Celtics 14-9 his flashiest performance since returning from injury Hartenstein helped unlock him with his shoulders and their synergy between Hartenstein’s chances to survey the floor More: How Jerami Grant 'established' himself as NBA pro during time with OKC Thunder drawing a foul and rising for a jumper on separate occasions Holmgren’s initiative led to instant offense Hartenstein’s passing chops ensured that the other three on the floor How’d Holmgren help make the group a net positive What helped him take over in a way he hadn’t quite been able to since he’s been back “By not trying to think of the game that way,” Holmgren said just trying to think what we want to accomplish as a team “All the plays on the offensive end in those minutes that I think ended up leading to buckets a lot of them were off passes or quick attacks It wasn't anybody out there trying to ‘take over the game.’” Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged that the big man had “been taking a back seat because he missed games.” The weight of Williams’ offensive load couldn’t be dropped Moreover, Monday’s loss to Denver left a sour taste in Holmgren's mouth More: OKC Thunder coach Mark Daigneault digs deep into NBA rule book to slow down inbound plays “I'm definitely bothered,” Holmgren said Monday Bothered because I feel like I could have had a better effect on the game and given us a better chance to win I'd say (I'm) a little bit frustrated in that way that doesn't change what we have to take from it Holmgren has acknowledged that he won’t chase shots His volume isn’t always there; Wednesday didn’t even see him take his most attempts in a game this season It only saw him placed in unique circumstances asked to get even more creative than his imaginative frame calls for Without Williams traveling during this Eastern Conference road trip Holmgren could have several chances to be increasingly aggressive post-injury To be the forward that Hartenstein is meant to bring out of him Scrap the idea of what you previously thought Holmgren and Hartenstein could be More: Thunder has dominated Eastern Conference. Can OKC make history with Jalen Williams out? Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit (FanDuel Sports Network the performance of Chet Holmgren could be right up there with the best The forward ramped up post-All-Star break after missing a few months of action from a hip injury — eventually getting relatively back to his old self 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game on 44% shooting from the field and 42.3% from behind the arc His offensive production clicked everywhere on the floor while his defense helped form an excellent game plan on the Grizzlies Although he's typically been viewed as a center during his career the addition of Isaiah Hartenstein to the fray has moved Holmgren to more of a role at the power forward position That isn't an easy transition for most players at his size to make but his unqiue skillset has made it relatively easy The other half of the frontcourt tandem has been rather impressed with Holmgren's adjustment “He’s been great all season," Hartenstein said on Holmgren "We have a lot of confidence in him on both sides of the court I think he’s getting more comfortable playing a newer role .. Also coming in being aggressive when he needs to be.” Holmgren and Hartenstein sharing the ability to play with each other has been huge for the Thunder giving coach Mark Daigneault the opportunity to run big lineups on a consistent basis It's tough for most teams to match up against but of the differing matchups that are introduced Teams have to worry the most about Oklahoma City's defense but the way in which Holmgren expands its offense can't be underestimated While usually the third option behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams he could be a leading scorer during any given night if everything is clicking Either the Denver Nuggets or LA Clippers will get a closer look at that next round — and Holmgren won't be an easy player to tackle CHASE GEMESChase is a junior at the University of Missouri studying journalism. He is a football and men’s basketball reporter for Missouri on SI. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault didn’t get to use his twin tower lineup as much as he expected this season, but he’s seen enough to have confidence in it heading into the playoffs, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic Hartenstein broke his left hand during the preseason and didn’t play his first game with OKC until November 20 Holmgren had suffered a fractured hip that kept him sidelined until early February They were active on the same night only 20 times this season and logged 316 minutes together “It would be more uncomfortable if it was like really stalling,” he said Too bad Memphis coach wasn’t so awful and got himself fired Too bad this would have been a tough test first OKC Weren’t going to win either way nor really be that competitive Lakers and Denver are going to give OKC a test on their way to the finals Apparently that poisoned water table from fracking is some winning juice for Oklahoma City before it gives them all cancer Trade for Durant after you lose in the playoffs Log in Register Register the OKC Thunder were severely limited in their ability to experiment with the double-big lineup of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein Due to nagging injuries to both players throughout the regular season In total, the pair saw just 679 possessions running alongside one another the promise the duo showcased proved to be rather exciting as Oklahoma City held opponents to a mere 109.9 points per 100 possessions and saw a point differential of +13.5 with both Chet and I-Hart on the floor marks that ranked in the 86 and 98 percentile Coming into the playoffs, the hope for many was that coach Mark Daigneault would opt to give these types of twin tower sets more run on the hardwood so that the tandem could further build chemistry together while Oklahoma City could boast more size within their lineups something they sorely lacked during their ill-fated run last year it is more than apparent that the Thunder are willing to continue utilizing such a lineup configuration based on the club's clean four-game sweep over the Memphis Grizzlies it has proven to be a major part of their game plan as the duo served as a staple in each game's starting unit In Hartenstein's opinion, their impact on the game has only improved during the high-stakes 2025 postseason, and, during Wednesday's practice media sessions he specifically highlighted one key area of play that they have officially ironed out the wrinkles in their effect on the game was quite similar to how it was throughout the regular season as they held Memphis to just 100.0 points per 100 possessions (ranks in the 99 percentile) and saw a point differential of +10.2 one particular aspect of the double-big lineup that has improved during the playoffs is their ability to properly rotate on defense I think we've got it more figured out [on defense] I think at the beginning it was a little harder because we both went to the rim and gave up some threes every now and then but I think now we've figured out when to go Hartenstein and Holmgren were not just effective when contesting shots against the Grizzlies -- they were downright elite the Thunder held Memphis to a putrid effective field goal percentage of 47.1 percent Holmgren had his assignments shooting just 39.5 percent from the floor while Hartenstein saw his matchups shooting 42.2 percent Already, both bigs ranked near the top of the league in defensive rating as individuals and showed flashes of complementing one another on this end of the floor throughout the regular season Although the sample size came in just a four-game span it seems this menacing tandem of Hartenstein and Holmgren may have gotten even better on the less glamorous side of the ball Considering the Thunder are already the best defense in the association this should make the idea of going up against this ball club even more terrifying for whatever team winds up facing them during the rounds to come ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"6d","src":"6e","url":"6f"},{"type":"6c","value":"6g"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6j","url":"6k"},{"type":"6i","value":"6l"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands He previously served as a beat writer for Heavy.com primarily focusing on the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics and has been in the sports media industry since 2019 In total, the pair saw just 679 possessions running alongside one another Coming into the playoffs, the hope for many was that coach Mark Daigneault would opt to give these types of twin tower sets more run on the hardwood so that the tandem could further build chemistry together In Hartenstein's opinion, their impact on the game has only improved during the high-stakes 2025 postseason, and, during Wednesday's practice media sessions Already, both bigs ranked near the top of the league in defensive rating as individuals and showed flashes of complementing one another on this end of the floor throughout the regular season OKC's twin tower lineup has only become more dominant on defense Rallying the troops, Sam Presti held his traditional meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead of the playoffs His message was short and sweet as Isaiah Hartenstein shared it with the local media group in their first practice since the regular season ended "I think it brought us back in together knowing what our goals were knowing what we’ve been through the season While everybody within the team preached continuing to do what they've done to get to this point there's no question that the outside expectations are as lofty as possible — win an NBA championship After a historic 68-14 season saw them capture the best point differential ever the Thunder will enter the 2025 NBA playoffs as the title favorite The week off between the regular-season finale and Game 1 of Round 1 is the calm before the storm the Thunder won't know their Round 1 opponent until Friday night when the play-in tournament concludes But regardless of who it is — whether the Golden State Warriors or Sacramento Kings — they should be the first to four wins that will likely be the case in about every hypothetical playoff series That comes with the territory of historic dominance While Hartenstein didn't share the exact details of Presti's message to the Thunder the gist shows how aware they are of the opportunity in front of them These playoffs are arguably OKC's best shot to bring home a championship Kenrich Williams started the second half in place of Hartenstein The 26-year-old center recorded four points and five rebounds in 14 minutes during the first half Hip injuries have become a common occurrence for the Thunder, which is without Chet Holmgren (left hip injury management) and Jaylin Williams (left hip tightness) on Saturday. Jalen Williams also returned against Memphis on Thursday after missing seven games due to a right hip strain More: Thunder vs Pacers NBA game today live. Latest scores, highlights, stats, prediction OKC (61-12) holds a 102-80 lead over Indiana (43-30) at the end of the third quarter Isaiah Hartenstein headed to the scrum to detail what this week has been like so far "Think we did a good job of coming out we came out and we were aggressive most of the series We won in different ways...I think we did a good job of keeping that 0-0 mentality and going from there," Hartenstein said This first round series is in the rearview and again the Thunder have to play the waiting game The seven-footer detailed what this week of practice looked like Mark [Daigneault] does a great job of making sure we are still locked in but giving us a little break at the same time I think it is kinda similar to how it was the first little mini-camp the first time we are kinda used to it," Hartenstein added the Thunder are tuning into the NBA Playoffs Hartenstein lays out why that doesn't come with any added nerves I think the main thing with the playoffs is you have to just control what you can control The main thing we can control right now is what we do at practice We just have to wait," The Thunder big man explained when asked if he was anxious watching the other first round games The Oklahoma City Thunder will begin its Second Round in the coming days after the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets wrap up its first round series in the NBA Playoffs After an inconsistent regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder found success with their double-big lineup in their Round 1 sweep over the Memphis Grizzlies Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein matched with the perfect frontcourt to face off in their playoff debut Both were fantastic in the first-round series Holmgren was a top-two player in the series throughout the series to the point that the Grizzlies might contemplate his long-term future with the franchise Hartenstein iced Zach Edey out of the entire series The latter was borderline unplayable as his rebound advantage was canceled out Sam Presti's vision of a double-big lineup that would help OKC win the possession and boards battle has materialized After a 115-117 Game 4 win to move on, Holmgren provided an update on what his time with Hartenstein looked like through four playoff games. Both have admitted they needed some time to gel at the start, but have found a flow since then. "Just understanding that even though we're out there together, it's not always going to be the same look. We're going to have different matchups and schemes based on who we're playing, who's on the floor," Holmgren said on his lineups with Hartenstein. "We just have to do a good job of communicating with each other on both ends of the floor and knowing where each other is so we can play off each other, feed off each other. Help each other and do what we need to do out there." The Thunder may be forced to lean on the Holmgren-Hartenstein duo for another playoff series. They'll either face Nikola Jokic or Ivica Zubac in Round 2. Both centers provide their own unique challenges that could force OKC to stick with its Round 1 starters, for at least the start of the series. the youth of this OKC Thunder team combined with their top-flight regular season success is truly astonishing With an average age of roughly 24 years old, Oklahoma City has become not only the youngest team to clinch back-to-back number one seeds in a conference standing but also to claim homecourt advantage throughout the entirety of the NBA Playoffs On top of this, they are currently heading into the postseason with the odds-makers tabbing them as the favorite to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy at +180 there are still some who aren't sold on the club's viability to win a championship this season and a popular reason for this seems to be their widely celebrated youth 13-year veteran Marcus Morris Sr. recently vocalized this concern about their lack of playoff experience as a result of their collective age, begging the question "What has OKC done outside of the regular season?" Since this April 3 appearance on ESPN's First Take, the doubtful sentiment has officially made its way back to the Thunder and their players, and, when asked to share his feelings about it during Tuesday's practice media session Isaiah Hartenstein dropped the perfect retort that should quiet the naysayers young teams like us haven't won 68 games I think that's another fact," Hartenstein said even with Hartenstein's confidence in his team he's far from being under the impression that setting yet another historic NBA milestone like becoming the second-youngest team to win a title is a guarantee I think we have so much confidence in ourselves but we have to go in and earn it and go take it.. we don't fear nobody but we have to go take it," Hartenstein said this Thunder team cannot get comfortable with their ability to run the postseason gamut solely based on how they finished out the regular season Though they entered the 2024 playoffs as the number one seed OKC was ultimately bounced in six games during the Western Conference Semifinals by the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks it's hard to lean into the notion that just because young and inexperienced teams have generally fizzled out of the playoffs in the past they're always bound to do so On numerous occasions throughout this historic multi-year run, this Thunder squad has set new marks in the game's all-time record books that were previously seen as impossible From establishing the new apex of point and turnover differentials in a single season to becoming the first team to have double-digit win increases in three straight campaigns Oklahoma City has regularly proven itself to be a real trailblazer Isaiah Hartenstein is silencing the outside noise and has his sights set on adding a new record-setting feat to this team's collection ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"6e","src":"6f","url":"6g"},{"type":"6d","value":"6h"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6k","url":"6l"},{"type":"6j","value":"6m"},"All Rights Reserved With an average age of roughly 24 years old, Oklahoma City has become not only the youngest team to clinch back-to-back number one seeds in a conference standing but also to claim homecourt advantage throughout the entirety of the NBA Playoffs On top of this, they are currently heading into the postseason with the odds-makers tabbing them as the favorite to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy at +180 13-year veteran Marcus Morris Sr. recently vocalized this concern about their lack of playoff experience as a result of their collective age, begging the question Since this April 3 appearance on ESPN's First Take, the doubtful sentiment has officially made its way back to the Thunder and their players, and, when asked to share his feelings about it during Tuesday's practice media session On numerous occasions throughout this historic multi-year run, this Thunder squad has set new marks in the game's all-time record books that were previously seen as impossible Nobody expected the Thunder to win a title a season ago but that team had every chance to go far in the postseason a crushing loss to the Dallas Mavericks that sent the team back to the drawing board there’s a handful of things that separate this year’s Thunder team from last year’s Thunder team He has changed the game for Oklahoma City from the moment he first stepped on the court and he hasn’t looked back The Thunder’s weakness in the front court was exposed against Dallas a season ago and they opted to fill it by dishing out a massive contract to Hartenstein Hartenstein was terrific in the regular season helping the Thunder maintain a historical pace record-wise even with Chet Holmgren sidelined He averaged a double-double for the first time in his career and displayed elite passing skills from a big man His role in the postseason was always going to take some tinkering so good for Oklahoma City’s man in the middle he didn’t skip a beat from his regular season production He didn’t do anything flashy or experiment with any outside shots he just did what he needed to do — what the Thunder needed him to do Hartenstein averaged 23 minutes across the four contests His best performance came in the series opener His chemistry with Chet Holmgren continues to grow as does his chemistry with the rest of the team He is finding a unique connection on the floor with each individual player Oklahoma City needs him to be exactly who he has been all season Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage. Sometimes it’s hard to learn too much from a 4-0 sweep but the Thunder walked out of Memphis with some valuable experiences The Thunder won every outing in completely different fashion and they had to grind out every game with aggressive  defense Oklahoma City’s shot wasn’t falling at all and they had to find other ways to win — and that’s exactly what they did Oklahoma City officially becomes to first playoff team to advance to the second round Oklahoma City has to make the most of its break The second round matchups will be extremely difficult and the Thunder will have to be at its best Oklahoma City swept the Pelicans 4-0 in the first round and the second round against Dallas was a challenge They'll have time to find out what worked a season ago and adjust accordingly for preparation purposes Great stuff from Isaiah Hartenstein who joined us yesterday on Thunder Live Postgame following the Thunder’s series win over Memphis! pic.twitter.com/CtO8L15SIz Especially when you have so much time off you can get a little lose but also make sure we’re ready for whoever we’re playing against.” This Thunder team has as good of a chance as anyone to hoist the trophy when it's all said and done Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein will miss Thursday's matchup of the two teams with the NBA's best records because of a left soleus strain According to the Thunder, Hartenstein suffered the injury during Tuesday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers and will be reevaluated in approximately one week The 33-6 Thunder face the 34-5 Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday in Oklahoma City 8 home win that snapped the Thunder's 15-game winning streak It will be the second stretch this season that the Thunder do not have either of their 7-footers. Oklahoma City went 3-2 during the span between Chet Holmgren suffering a fractured pelvis and Hartenstein making his season debut which was delayed by a fractured left hand Holmgren, who was injured in the first half of Oklahoma City's Nov. 10 loss to the Golden State Warriors has begun doing simple basketball activities such as spot shooting as he gradually ramps up to his return $87 million contract last summer in free agency to join the Thunder Oklahoma City has a 22-2 record when Hartenstein plays Isaiah Hartenstein had been gone for days And for some time — especially on this flight — he’d been thinking about where he was headed when he landed back in Oklahoma City In late-January, a plane malfunction kept his Thunder from leaving directly after a game in San Francisco Hartenstein made a commitment the following afternoon just around when the team’s new flight was set to land His father, Florian He patiently awaited his son’s return at the airport hurried to secure his things and got in the car a straight shot to the Memorial Park Boys & Girls Club This was no team-mandated obligation. Or any one-off event. Hartenstein and his family, behind his own initiative, The Hartenstein Foundation plan for some level of outreach at least several times a month he donated $50,000 to go toward building a new basketball court His sense of obligation is self-prescribed has grown difficult to ignore through the years “I think it’s just bigger than us,” Hartenstein told The Oklahoman But I want to help as many people out as possible Even if it’s coming back after a long trip if there’s time I can help the community out More: OKC Thunder's domination of NBA's Eastern Conference is complete: By the numbers When Cason Wallace picked up a technical foul back in December, Hartenstein footed the bill. He’d like to pay for more team dinners, though he’s said that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander often snatches the check from him Hartenstein will be the first to admit that his three-year $87 million deal has further allowed his altruism to manifest Hartenstein wrapped his bold shoulders around his surroundings where Isaiah spent his first couple of NBA seasons the Hartensteins held community events in the summer Hartenstein’s home served as a boarding school Florian — a 6-foot-9 center who once played for Oregon before a professional career led him to Germany — became coach of the Artland Dragons rented house into one fit for Isaiah and five or six of his teammates-turned-roommates “I was always trying to get kids that came either either biking or cramping themselves into a van or taking the train spending about as much of their 24 hours together as possible did their laundry — “my mom probably didn’t love it,” Isaiah joked — and everything else that made it a home The Hartensteins offered theirs in hopes of creating one for others Hartenstein joined the ownership group of Ratiopharm Ulm Hartenstein still has a runway for development himself he’s already turned to planting Germany’s next hoop roots aiming to advance the program as an NBA pipeline “There were people that didn’t believe in him,” Florian said of his son “… He’s realized that there have to be people that you can aspire to go be.”  More: Vote: Which potential OKC Thunder opponent is biggest threat out West in NBA Playoffs? Florian has served every purpose for Isaiah: trainer and among those that's held up between them is Florian's hope that his son retains humility Florian still remembers what he labels transformation in media around the time Isaiah began to transcend as a prospect “There were a lot of people — it could be parents it could be media — that really hype up the kids way too early,” Florian said 13 that you’re going to be the greatest thing on the planet those kids run around like they’re the (expletive) you will enjoy more of what you’ve done if you know where you came from and if you’re willing to also give back afterwards.”  The NBA reaps and regroups in the offseason with journeymen and rotational players caught in its keen teeth Before his career year in OKC — he’s averaging career highs in points (11.2)  and rebounds (10.8) through 54 games — Hartenstein floated from Houston to Denver to Cleveland to Los Angeles eventually settling into some semblance of consistency in New York with the Knicks Less traveled paths have made players jaded Hartenstein has embedded himself into Oklahoma City he donated thousands of dollars to several organizations; donated sneakers to youth teams at the Boys & Girls Club; donated 20 tickets to students involved in the Urban Bridge mental health service initiative at Millwood Middle School; and hosted a mini-basketball clinic with Florian at the Boys & Girls Club More: How did Mark Daigneault and Billy Donovan meet? Unlikely introduction is quite the tale He’s developed an intimacy for a city he previously knew little of. Like everyone else bound to suit up for the Thunder, Hartenstein was given a tour of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum He learned of a community that rose from ashes “I didn't know anything about it before,” Hartenstein said “Just going to that museum and seeing what happened here I think (it) was definitely motivating for me to also help.” His payday has undoubtedly changed the magnitude of his efforts isn’t genuine in his eyes if the checks aren’t paired with his face With handshakes and conversations with those he’s reaching out for The DNA and backbone of the neighborhoods he’s entering but then also trying to figure out what they need what their parents need,” Hartenstein said “I can only guess to a certain extent what they need What can help them really achieve something in life?” He gives the parameters of those he wants to help and they provide him with choices of organizations that could use his help (because) he has the money to do whatever he wants to do,” Florian said The highest-paid free agent in Thunder history Hartenstein has more money than many would know what to do with “Even if I change one person’s life throughout my life,” Hartenstein said More: Inside Josh Giddey's 'really special' return to OKC for Thunder-Bulls game Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Love it. Hate it. Frown at the idea that it might tamper with the Thunder’s many glittery metrics which almost all illustrate a historically significant team No matter how you feel about the early glimpses of Oklahoma City’s double-big lineup, understand how coach Mark Daigneault categorizes it: necessary That’s regardless of opposing personnel — short New Zealand — and in the name of evolution and versatility for the sake of the postseason Asked how relevant other teams’ lineups were in influencing when Daigneault chooses to play centers Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein together He continued: “Maybe in the second half of games I went small against Minnesota on the road the other night down the stretch I'm trying to do everything I can to help the team win Rolled with that lineup in the fourth because they had it going … (Hartenstein and Holmgren) are two of our best players Part of my job is to get our best players on the court we're in the early stages of understanding that Maybe some of the personnel that we're facing has challenged it It's good for us in terms of working on it It's good for us in terms of understanding it “And if we can sustain the regular season right here and make the playoffs it would be irresponsible of us to not know everything there is to know about every part of our team and that's a part of our team that we don't know a lot about and that we have to get better at.”  More: How OKC Thunder rallied past Nets with 'really tough-minded' group led by Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren When Hartenstein has been on the floor without Holmgren this season they’ve outscored opponents by 7.45 points — hardly anything to scoff at but a notable slip from the standard OKC fans have been spoiled with Since Holmgren’s Feb. 7 return 1 ranked defense by a safe margin this season — has been the 10th most efficient defense Daigneault expected that it wouldn’t be a revelation on Day 1 The pair missed countless opportunities to play together with their injuries and now OKC is attempting to rehearse those reps into the final third of this season the Thunder’s defense has been all-time frightening and all the legal disruption made possible on hardwood As Daigneault’s Thunder investigate this new-look lineup it understands that it’s inspecting the tradeoffs sacrificing some of that on-ball thievery for at-rim greediness and rebounding Perhaps it’s not necessarily the end-all-be-all lineup a tool for the postseason setting so that the Thunder isn’t being towered over the way it was in May Daigneault isn’t sure what the lineup can be That’s why he continues to thrust the pair out there He’s yet to understand the depths of playing power forward He’s still throwing lobs with the ambition of someone who clearly believes in seeing it through More: How should OKC Thunder view Minnesota meltdown? Why 'it’s kinda good that this happened' I gotta work on them a lot more,” Holmgren laughed when asked about being on the other end of those passes “And I believe it can be a really good play for us and that's why I'm not hesitant to try and connect on some of those plays because I'm a big believer in (expletive) it up until you get it right As long as your intentions and your focus is in the right spot eventually you'll end up getting it right most of the time I'm really eager to throw it where I need to play more aggressive as a score Slip your complaints into the box by the door. They’ll all go to the same place. They’ll fit squarely beside the boxes of notes from the days of Daigneault’s especially wacky lineups and when fans begged superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to save his image and stop shooting pull-up 3s forgotten like many of the challenges Daigneault has welcomed Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com More: What is crucial for OKC Thunder to finish 2024-25 season? We examine key factors TIPOFF: 6:30 p.m. Friday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta (FanDuel Sports Network) that the Oklahoma City Thunder landed a marquee free agent for the first time in team history It goes without saying that this luxury typically is not afforded to small market clubs That is what made Isaiah Hartenstein’s decision to ditch the bright lights of Broadway for the dull days of Bricktown so interesting But the decision for Hartenstein to leave the Knicks was rooted in more than dollar and cents I think just how the culture is and the way they play I found out with the community stuff a little bit later but now just being here and seeing how involved they are in the community I probably wouldn’t have came here for a dollar money is still a thing,” Hartenstein joked in a conversation with Thunder on SI this is the only spot that I would’ve left New York for And it has been everything I thought it would be Hartenstein has fully embraced Thunder culture in every way pass-first style smoothly integrates into head coach Mark Daigneault’s system — but off it as well As an organization the Thunder have cared about serving the community with its Thunder Cares program It’s something from top-down that the team has stressed the importance of From community-wide events to its masterful storytelling with yearly movies showcasing unique community stories it’s something the organization takes pride in “I think it is just the privilege that we get,” Hartenstein said I don’t think I would be in this situation without the people in the community the Thunder giving me the contract that I got it was really important for me to give back.”  like every new player the Thunder bring aboard went to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum shortly after he arrived in town  “I think that was another motivation just to help the community and help give back,” Hartenstein said “We try to do at least two to three things each month I think that is the least I can do from my standpoint.” That desire to give back is deeply rooted in the German-born center The Hartenstein Foundation is a family affair managed day-to-day by those closest to the Thunder big man keeping perspective on everything,” Hartenstein said “I think especially you are in this NBA bubble I think you lose perspective of what is going on in the real world I also think just seeing the people email you ‘Hey you really changed my day,’ I think even if I change one person's life Hartenstein's mom and wife help him run his foundation especially during the hustle and bustle of an NBA season “I think especially in the season you are so focused on basketball so I think if I did it all myself it would be hard,” Hartenstein said “I kinda tell [my mom] where I kinda wanna help with and then she’s been doing an amazing job just setting up and giving back There have been multiple times where we have been on the road and she will go out and do stuff I think this month we did 10 things...I am really grateful for what they all do Not only is there organizational synergy between Hartenstein and the Thunder on the court “It was great [to learn about the Thunder Cares program],” Hartenstein said.“We both are at the same mindset you always saw from afar how good the organization was Sam [Presti] talked a lot about how present-focused they are cracking a smile as the Thunder cliche practically slipped out of his mouth that is kinda how I approach my whole career that has been something really special whether it's offensive we all have personal goals but it never gets in the way of the team Hartenstein’s signing is a large part of what makes this Thunder season so special Oklahoma City currently sits 63-12 –– its highest win total in franchise history –– and is breaking records nightly with the No 1 seed in the Western Conference locked up long ago Despite rehabbing and a freshness to the team OKC’s gaudy records this season simply wouldn’t have been possible without Hartenstein That can be attributed to the Thunder’s culture and deeply rooted identity as a team “I think it starts with Sam [Presti],” Hartenstein said “I think Sam does a great job of bringing in people that are and fit the system but also fit the culture I think that is what makes Sam as a GM special is that he is finding these people that fit in If you bring in two people that don’t fit the culture but I think this is special because it is really like every single guy you have one guy who is kinda like by himself I think an impressive thing is how supportive guys are even when they are not playing it's our careers like its still a business so I think that is something you don’t see a lot Where a guy won’t play for five games but he is still standing up and cheering everyone on,” Hartenstein reflected This Thunder team fits every cliche in the book It is a fun-loving young team that has unbridled camaraderie selflessness that would make a saint blush and exerts more energy on a nightly basis than the Energizer Bunny it is easy to wonder how much of that is genuine and how much of it is a facade — an act by a young cast of characters looking to soak up attention and garner praise for ‘playing the right way.’ Their post game skits with sideline reporter Nick Gallo have only grown in showmanship and have even drawn outrage by some who takes the game so seriously he played through a facial fracture and who still has a bruise and cut near his right eye as a battle scar and reminder of his work ethic explained the true brotherhood this Thunder team has formed you kinda saw it before,” Hartenstein said.“Sometimes you look at the [antics with Gallo] and you are like ‘Is that fake Is that more for show?’ But we really just want each other to succeed we are going out there because we want to support each other That’s what makes it special and what’s been good for us all season These future relationships weren’t yet built in July when Hartenstein had to make a life-changing decision as a free agent The 26-year-old took everything into account when deciding where to take his talents in an expansive process “It is a mixture between you watching film talking to your agent and figuring out what is best for you and your family,” Hartenstein said I think a lot of NBA players have to look out for themselves a lot of the time We saw what we thought was the best situation and gladly everything turned out how we thought it was going to turn out.”  The Thunder big man got his first glimpse of Thunder culture when he was just a youngster growing up on the other side of the TV screen James Harden and Russell Westbrook Thunder and that’s where you kinda saw how the culture was,” Hartenstein said While Hartenstein joined a 57-win club that captured the No 1 seed in the Western Conference a year ago his pairing with fellow seven-footer Chet Holmgren That was a picture painted clearly by the Thunder back in July he even told me straight up ‘I’m not going to promise you anything But I am not going to promise you anything,” Hartenstein relayed “I think me knowing that Chet [Holmgren] could play the four me knowing that I guess I am a traditional big Even if I am not shooting that many threes I am spacing the court from my passing from my activity even the floaters and stuff like that I knew the way we could play together has been good.” That pairing that is still in its infancy continues to blossom on the court despite a rocky start after each rehabbed injuries the first three games I was like maybe it's not,” Hartenstein joked “but after that we started to figure it out I think our offensive rating together is like 124 or something as the two seven-footers were like two ships passing in the night early in the season the pairing has turned a corner as of late but I think we can be elite in that,” Hartenstein said.“I think sometimes we both try to go for a blocked shot when we are supposed to be in different situations free agent pitches are portrayed as flashy presentations that include wining and dining players figuring out what makes them tick and telling them what they want to hear to get them to sign on the dotted line Oklahoma City’s lack of promises might’ve helped land Hartenstein; at the very least “I think just [Sam Presti] being really honest I think mindset wise we were so on the same level where we were like ‘Hey you can’t skip steps.’ I think a lot of people but a lot of teams at the beginning of the year are just way too focused on that and forget every single step that leads to winning a championship its been great,” Hartenstein told Thunder on SI The former Knick has clearly been influenced by bench boss Mark Daigneault Hartenstein littered this conversation with now famed Mark-isms who played against Daigneault in the NBA G League when Daigneault coached the OKC Blue perfectly illustrated how the head coach has been able to connect with players Showing that these repetitive sayings are more than just lip service even being here he doesn’t waste time,” Hartenstein said we listen and we know he is trying to help the team and he is saying smart things that translate to the game So I think the basketball mind he has has been really impressive.”  While things have gone according to plan for Hartenstein there have still been –– positive –– surprises along the way “One person that has surprised me has been [Jalen Williams] I didn’t know he was that good of a passer I didn’t know how willing of a passer he is and Shai’s defense has been really impressive I think what a lot of people don’t talk about is Cason Wallace,” Hartenstein said The big man’s eyes lit up when talking about Wallace, as the two previously joked about their father-son dynamic I thought he was a defensive player before Mark gives us so much freedom [to develop].” Hartenstein’s Thunder tenure is only 53 games old BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Would Isaiah Hartenstein truly be a member of the Thunder if he didn’t don a mask at some point “It takes getting used to, kinda annoying,” Hartenstein said Wednesday night after OKC's 129-121 win against the Nets not large enough to cover his forehead or dip below his nose “I’m not gonna put excuses on that at all,” Hartenstein said after posting 13 points Hartenstein suffered a facial contusion Monday night against the Timberwolves Friday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta (FanDuel Sports Network) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drove left before he spun right and scored on a short fadeaway mid-range jumper the MVP candidate only needed one hand to flick the shot through the basket Just a ridiculous bucket where you see his mind as an artist on the hardwood The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Milwaukee Bucks in a 121-105 win It completed a three-game sweep of their gauntlet road trip against Eastern Conference playoff squads on the second night of a back-to-back in a long stretch of the schedule mostly on the road," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said Both teams were deadlocked with each other to start The Bucks left the first quarter with a slight 26-24 lead The low-scoring first frame looked like a video game simulation compared to what happened next The Thunder went on a 29-15 scoring run in the second quarter to build a double-digit lead After Giannis Antetkounmpo got Chet Holmgren to bite on a pump-fake for the reverse jam the Bucks went scoreless in nearly the final five minutes of the first half The Thunder entered halftime with a 53-41 halftime lead Isaiah Hartenstein and Holmgren manned the second-unit lineups against the big Bucks After Hartenstein scored on a floater and Kenrich Williams stole the ball to feed Holmgren for the layup the Bucks quickly called a timeout less than a minute into the second half That didn't do much as the Thunder scored 39 points in the third quarter OKC exited the frame with a controlling 92-74 lead the Thunder didn't take long to balloon their lead to 25 points Isaiah Joe converted an outside look and they were suddenly up 99-74 less than two minutes into the fourth quarter The Bucks crowd slowly dwindled and the rest of the contest turned into a stat-padding fest where Antetokounmpo chased after a triple-double and Gilgeous-Alexander checked back in to cross the 30-point mark Milwaukee prettied up the final score at the end The Thunder shot 52% from the field and went 10-of-29 (34.5%) from 3 Five Thunder players scored double-digit points Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 31 points and eight assists Holmgren finished with 16 points and eight rebounds Alex Caruso had 10 points and five assists the Bucks shot 40% from the field and went 13-of-34 (38.2%) from 3 Five Bucks players scored double-digit points Antetokounmpo was held to 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting Damian Lillard had 19 points on 3-of-9 shooting Kyle Kuzma scored 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting the Thunder likely had this matchup circled to test their Holmgren-Hartenstein duo it's fair to say they fit well together against large and physical frontcourts blowing out the Bucks should never be overlooked But OKC has made it easy to do so this season "I thought both ends tonight was really good and it's improved over the course of the amount of games that we've done it," Daigneault said on the double-big lineup It's no surprise that it's definitely improved." you could see a Gatorade logo underneath Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Converse shoes The MVP candidate might as well have recreated the infamous Jimmy Butler NBA Bubble meme as his battery flashed red and near empty Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points on 11-of-27 shooting He shot 0-of-5 from 3 and went 9-of-11 on free throws Playing against the Bucks, Gilgeous-Alexander has historically struggled against their defense. They have enough athleticism and size to force the drive-heavy scorer to settle for jumpers. You're fine with that on most nights. But on the second night of a road back-to-back where the first game was physically taxing You could tell Gilgeous-Alexander's legs were nearly gone by the end His jumper didn't fall at the efficient clip it usually does It took every ounce of energy to score his 17 points in the second half The rest of the Thunder likely knew he was near empty and carried him with an outstanding defensive performance Especially after Gilgeous-Alexander carried them to an improbable win the night before If the worst version of the MVP candidate is a high-volume 30-point outing then that's a ridiculous floor to have and highly speaks about his all-time scoring ability "He has a great blend and found his stuff in the flow of the game He didn't I think play his best offensive game tonight but still had a steady hand," Daigneault said about Gilgeous-Alexander We've been on the road really since All-Star break and the game last night was a brawl." Isaiah Hartenstein: A-plusCutting to the basket Hartenstein received Holmgren's touch pass from the post The Bucks' brain malfunctioned as the two seven-footers tag-teamed to get an easy dunk This was the best they've looked all season in a productive road trip that served as a company retreat to build on their rapport Hartenstein finished with 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting The 26-year-old enjoyed a career-high in points The Thunder have to be excited about Hartenstein's performance against the Bucks He shut Brook Lopez out and was a constant paint threat as a lob finisher A league-best defense had one of its best six-minute stretches between the second and third quarters when Milwaukee was scoreless "What makes us great is that all five are playing defense together I think that's why a lot of people have to talk about it more especially for Shai's MVP case," Hartenstein said We don't really have to make up for him on defense Just having him playing defense helps our team a lot but what the Thunder could do if they must rely on their double-big lineup Milwaukee is on the extreme side of the scale with its gigantic starting lineup where 6-foot-6 Taurean Prince is in the backcourt For OKC to shut it down shows its potential as a weapon in a playoff series "I think today you saw how much that big lineup can really help A lot of people focused on the offensive side but I think we made big leaps in that regard playing together but I think we're also figuring out the defensive side," Hartenstein said Holmgren quickly slammed down and yelled his lungs out His veins popped out of his neck as the Thunder bench stood up and celebrated the second-chance bucket to keep OKC's lead at 25 points Holmgren finished with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting He shot 2-of-4 from 3 and went 2-of-4 on free throws After he sat out the first leg of this back-to-back to rest Holmgren looked the freshest out of all the Thunder's starters He was a scoring threat inside the paint and knocked down critical outside shots to keep the Bucks distant on the scoreboard Holmgren held the two-time MVP winner in check He was easy to forget and didn't really turn it up until the second half when the game was already decided but this proves that the Thunder would likely win the NBA Cup if the 22-year-old was healthy It's almost unfair what the Thunder can do when Holmgren can play other positions besides center The seven-footer is a mismatch nightmare against opposing wing players That was seen against the Bucks as they had no answer when he had the ball and drove downhill "I think early on when we played that lineup we played against perimeter-oriented teams which can skew your impression of it," Daigneault said about the Holmgren-Hartenstein duo we used it against a team it was really impactful against Having Hart with his chest on Giannis and J-Will and then having Chet behind it physically is a powerful combination." Joe's corner 3-pointer in the early stages of the fourth quarter sealed the final result the Thunder needed their bench squad to step up and they did Joe finished with 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting He shot 5-of-9 from 3 and went 2-of-2 on free throws He can step up as a bucket-getter off the bench when he gets into a rhythm A movement shooter is what every bench needs That's quite the juxtaposition to the top-heavy Bucks who will rely on Kuzma as their third-best player in a hopeful playoff run the more repetition they get out there on the court together especially late in the postseason," Joe said about the Holmgren-Hartenstein duo "They're both dangerous in their own ways so when they can play together and you see how it affects you kinda got to pick your poison at times The Oklahoma City Thunder held practice on Tuesday It's the first of several practices this week ahead of Round 1 of the 2025 NBA playoffs the first seed must wait until Friday night of the play-in tournament to figure out their first-round matchup the Thunder spend the week off preparing for the playoffs Isaiah Hartenstein and LU Dort talked to the local media on Tuesday Hartenstein revealed what Sam Presti told them in a meeting and Dort broke down his thoughts on the DPOY award Oklahoma City Thunder forward Isaiah Hartenstein says attention to detail and team trust will define their postseason run Hartenstein and teammate Luguentz Dort say the team is locked in—mentally and physically—despite being one of the youngest squads in the NBA Q: What’s one thing you think carries over into every playoff game A: The biggest thing is attention to detail and knowing where to be in every situation Q: What was it like earning a week off to rest and prepare The guys stepped up in those final games and showed how deep our team is it was great to get our bodies right and then hit a productive practice today most of whom haven’t had much playoff experience A: It’s about maintaining a zero-zero mentality Q: How do you emotionally reset between playoff games and one win doesn’t mean you're unbeatable Q: How has Mark Daigneault's coaching style helped with preparation and his ability to adjust on the fly is huge He also puts us in different situations in practice to stay ready Q: Does his willingness to experiment with lineups help the team Q: How do the playoffs differ from the regular season to you A: Everything's more emotional and physical Every play and every rotation matters even more But we don’t have to change our style—we’ve been playing the right way all season Q: What gives you confidence in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander heading into the playoffs A: His trust in his teammates and fearlessness Q: How has Shai prepared the team for the postseason he passes out and makes the right play—even if it doesn’t show up in the stats His unselfishness and leadership give us all confidence Q: Has he made you personally more confident but it’s different when your star player believes in you He doesn't care about his stats—just winning—and that lifts everyone Q: Young teams don’t usually make deep playoff runs A: Most young teams also don’t win 68 games but we’re confident and ready to go take it—nobody’s going to hand it to us Q: Where did your signature push floater come from A: My dad had me working on touch and guard skills when I was younger It became useful in the NBA against taller guys like Gobert or Wemby—it's an easy Q: Did you always have confidence in that shot so I found a way to make it work in that zone Q: How does it feel not knowing your playoff opponent yet But Mark has us focused on our own stuff and staying sharp regardless do you reflect on the historic regular season Only 86 teams in NBA history have won 68 games But it’s 0-0 now—we’re locked in on earning it in the playoffs Q: Did it take a mental shift to trust your floater shot fully where analytics discouraged midrange shots It felt like the one I could always get off Q: Do players ever ask you about that shot It's just something that feels natural to me is it strange seeing this 68-win team having to convince people to “watch the games” But guys like Lu Dort—his impact goes beyond the box score Q: Do you like where basketball viewership is today A lot of people judge based on quick highlights or box scores Q: Did Sam Presti talk to the team before the playoffs He brought us back to our goals and reminded us of what we’ve built this season What did you like about how you handled rest and practice last year that you think you can replicate now Dort: I feel like we just have to attack those days We're in a spot where we get extra time to rest and see who we’ll play next Q: People talk so much about your ability to limit high-volume scorers What’s your sense of how you’re able to keep them from taking a lot of shots Dort: It’s the level of defense I’ve been playing But it’s not just me—I trust my teammates too Q: What are you more confident about as a player and as a team compared to last year We’ve gone through a lot of battles this season Q: Shai mentioned back in November that he wanted to be better about putting guys in the right position He’s got great players and shooters around him now and he’s been making the right plays for the team all season long Q: Experimentation is a big part of Coach Mark’s approach How did that help in the playoffs last year and how do you think it might help this year Q: Did that experimentation help you feel more comfortable in the playoffs last year We had a few games this year where we had to mix things up it’s likely something we’ve already done before Q: How do you view the team’s depth going into the playoffs Dort: That’s a Coach Mark question [laughs] Q: Having a week off—has that allowed you to reflect on the season and the history you guys made We should be proud of what we did—it was a great regular season Q: When did you decide to be the kind of guy who locks people down defensively I was kind of an underdog—playing in Montreal I was the young French Canadian coming to the U.S I just wanted to show them what I was about Q: You’ve been in Defensive Player of the Year discussions but I’ve got to vote for a big.” Do you want to make a case for perimeter defenders winning DPOY It’s not just about blocking shots at the rim anymore A lot happens on the perimeter—guys running off screens I think guards should be more recognized for that work Q: How has Alex Caruso’s presence affected things on defense Just hearing someone behind you who knows what’s coming—it helps a lot Q: Do you sense that opponents hear him too and get a little hesitant Sometimes he just blows up plays because of how loud he is and I’ve seen a few times where opponents hesitate or second-guess themselves But what does your preparation for a matchup look like It does go up a notch in the playoffs because you’re seeing the same team over and over It’s all about locking in on the details and learning what your matchup likes to do Q: You guys are set up well for the future—young team But how do you balance that long-term view with the urgency of this playoff opportunity We’ve got to go out there and do everything to win Q: What’s your answer to the doubters who say this team is too young or hasn’t experienced enough disappointment Dort: I just trust the team and the work we’ve put in and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox With seven games left until playoff time, the double-big lineup remains relatively new for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 7-foot-tall Isaiah Hartenstein broke his hand in the preseason and the 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren broke his pelvis in November so the two didn't share the court in a regular-season game until the week before the All-Star break They've still played only 269 minutes together in 16 games so Oklahoma City's plus-15.0 net rating in those minutes is not necessarily cause for celebration to see that this version of the Thunder is a different beast To get a pretty good sense of why they paired Hartenstein and Holmgren you can just watch the first 90 seconds of their game in Sacramento last week On their first offensive possession, Hartenstein found Holmgren cutting off a back screen for an easy layup. On their second, Hartenstein handed it off to Holmgren for a 3 on the move. Then the Thunder got back on defense and the two bigs converged on a rolling Domantas Sabonis, who kicked the ball out. Keegan Murray drove the closeout Holmgren peeled off to Sabonis and Hartenstein forced Murray into a contested Hartenstein, who grew up playing on the perimeter is an "unbelievable ballhandler and passer," Fernandez said "I don't know if I can call Chet a 'big' -- he's a 1-through-5 basketball player The Thunder have started Hartenstein and Holmgren together in all but two of the games in which they've both been available They've faced opposing lineups of all different shapes and sizes "We're trying to learn it and learn what the trade-offs are," Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said "Once you understand the trade-offs of a lineup you can figure out when you want to deploy it when it's a strength and when you need to pull back." Some of the benefits are already resoundingly clear: The jumbo lineup has annihilated teams on the glass -- its 32.4% offensive rebounding percentage is better than every team's except the Houston Rockets', and its 79.7% defensive rebounding percentage is significantly better than the Los Angeles Clippers' league-best mark With Hartenstein and Holmgren on the floor the Thunder have shut down the paint -- only 18.8% of opponents' shots have come at the rim according to Cleaning The Glass -- and forced long 2s more frequently than any team has The costs are also coming into focus: When supersized OKC has had a slightly below-average turnover rate (as opposed to an elite rate with only one big) and its transition offense has been worse than every team's except the Charlotte Hornets (as opposed to the best in the league with only one big) it has forced far fewer turnovers (the equivalent of the lowest mark in the league as opposed to an elite one with only one big) and allowed a higher volume of 3s (and corner 3s) than any team they got one out of a set play to start the second half and the combination is "going to be big for us," Hartenstein said -- figuratively the sheer size and length of the Hartenstein-Holmgren duo is imposing The Thunder can play a more conservative style rather than relying on forcing turnovers and they can switch their bigs without being too worried about protecting the rim and the glass If one of them is guarding an action on the perimeter or gets beaten off the dribble Daigneault knew going into those Wolves games (and others against smaller teams) that Hartenstein and Holmgren would find themselves in uncomfortable situations It would be "irresponsible of us," he said not to find out everything there is to know about this look -- and this team Holmgren helped off of Kuzma on the strong side -- normally a no-no -- and then recovered to contest the corner 3 when Lillard kicked it out Oklahoma City knew it had a rebounding problem last season The challenge was to solve it without creating a host of new issues Hartenstein fit the bill because he does not approach offense like a traditional big man "It's not like I'm just going down the court posting up Hartenstein is one of the NBA's premier point-centers He is not a floor spacer in the traditional sense -- this season he has attempted 18 3s and missed all of them -- but he doesn't prevent you from playing 5-out When he catches the ball above the break or at the elbow the paint is generally open and his teammates know he'll find them on cuts He can create advantages as an off-ball screener and a handoff hub and I think [Daigneault] does a good job of manipulating the other team's defense."  Hartenstein is dangerous with the ball in his hands but he mixes in "keepers," fake dribble-handoffs that often catch defenders off guard He's dangerous in the short roll because of his passing: And because of his signature shot: a high-arcing floater "He screens to contact and really frees up the guards which puts him behind a lot of plays," Daigneault said "And that's where it's deadly 'cause the guard's going downhill and then can drop it back to him and he can find that shot after you're explored other parts of the pick-and-roll game." In a league where teams are primarily concerned with guarding the rim and the 3-point line, some teams effectively cede shots from floater range. Nikola Jokic, Nikola Vucevic and Bam Adebayo feast on these shots Hartenstein himself isn't too worried about the opposing big putting one up when he's defending the pick-and-roll "There's not a lot of bigs who consistently do it," Hartenstein said Hartenstein does not think of Holmgren as another big he plays on the perimeter," Hartenstein said "It's not like we're getting in each other's way." Both bigs are "see-it-and-fix-it type guys," guard Cason Wallace said they'll be able to see the situation and know how to play basketball." Oklahoma City has empowered Hartenstein to play his game and it has effectively forced Holmgren to show off the different parts of his catching lobs in the dunker spot and operating in the short roll but he's also running the occasional pick-and-roll and making plays off the dribble: in addition to the rare combination of shot-blocking and 3-point shooting The Thunder like to run him off pindowns from Hartenstein Holmgren's development as a creator is one of the most exciting things happening in Oklahoma City Some of his drives are much smoother than others and playoff opponents are going to be physical with him and make him prove he can consistently punish smaller defenders Against the Chicago Bulls on Monday, Holmgren grabbed a defensive rebound, then pushed the ball coast to coast and finished through contact. In that same game, though, he was stifled several times by Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis including once in that exact same scenario: At a recent practice in Oklahoma City, Holmgren told reporters that there has been a learning curve playing the 4 spot on offense in terms of "figuring out the rhythm and getting the timing right with all the guys and understanding where my spots are during the game." He added that he's "really just playing a wing spot," and the Thunder are more or less positionless anyway everybody else is "flying around and just making reads," which is difficult for opposing teams to prepare for "It's really helpful that we're all all over the place and we can all do everything," he said with the 6-foot-5 Jalen Williams acting as their rim-protecting "center." It went surprisingly well "The luxury of our team is you can have so many different ways to play," Hartenstein said I think there's a lot of different ways that we can approach the game and I think having a coach like Mark that's open to adjusting and open to not sticking with one thing Because that's when you really have to adjust." the double-big look jibes with how they've approached offense for years If the "guards" are screening and playing in the dunker spot then why shouldn't the "bigs" be making plays from the perimeter The Thunder have the league's best record (63-12) and they could finish the season with the best net rating in NBA history but they lost a tight second-round series as the top seed last year their new look will make them more capable of overcoming poor shooting nights in the playoffs this time around It should make them more able to counter opposing team's adjustments and make defenses pay for blitzing Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City is still figuring out all the ways it can use Hartenstein and Holmgren together They're both "open-minded to anything," Daigneault said they're going to communicate through it," Daigneault said so they communicate with each other and their teammates very well and they're going to give it the best chance to have the best look Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 14 rebounds which is a franchise record for a debut game • Get NBA League Pass TODAY > OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jalen Williams scored 30 points, Isaiah Hartenstein had a double-double in his season debut, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-99 on Wednesday night a free agent pickup who played for the New York Knicks last season had been out with a broken bone in his left hand 14 rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes and provided rim protection and bulk for a team that has struggled with injuries in the frontcourt Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 28 points for the Thunder but he made all 14 of his free throws to help Oklahoma City snap a two-game losing streak Alex Caruso scored 17 points to help Oklahoma City’s bench outscore Portland’s 44-31 Shaedon Sharpe led Portland with 21 points and Toumani Camara and Jerami Grant each added 14 for the Trail Blazers The game was close for three quarters before the Thunder used a 39-30 fourth-quarter surge to pull away Thunder: Hartenstein proved his value immediately The Thunder had been getting dominated on the boards in recent games so losing the rebounding battle 49-46 resembled a victory Trail Blazers: Oklahoma City scored 28 points off Portland’s 24 turnovers Oklahoma City trailed 20-13 with 5:10 left in the first quarter when Hartenstein entered the game after missing the first 15 contests His presence was especially important because the Thunder will be without Chet Holmgren for at least another six weeks with a pelvic fracture Oklahoma City outscored the Blazers 56-32 in points in the paint The Trail Blazers visit Houston on Friday and the Thunder visit Sacramento on Monday Echoing a post fom Kevin Durant's longtime manager LeBron James says he's 'getting off social media for the time being.' De'Anthony Melton missed 2 games because of a left ACL sprain and underwent further testing before it was determined he needed surgery The team will give its leading scoring extra rest before it embarks on a 4-game road trip that begins in Philadelphia on Sunday with the 76ers' Jared McCain and Lakers' Dalton Knecht leading the way "He figured out a pattern of success," says Zach Hahn who was coached at Butler by Celtics GM Brad Stevens The NBA's all-time wins leader addressed his recovery from a stroke as he becomes team president and Mitch Johnson takes over as coach Hardy has compiled an 85-161 record over his 3 seasons at the helm in Utah 8 teams remain in the hunt for the NBA title as the conference semifinals tip off DFS picks for Monday's 2-game slate of the NBA playoffs featuring Knicks-Celtics and Nuggets-Thunder Celtics-Knicks and Thunder-Nuggets open series tonight OKLAHOMA CITY (USA) - Isaiah Hartenstein has established himself as a very solid starting center in the NBA averaging a double-double for the Oklahoma City Thunder - the team with the best record in the league hopes are rising in Germany that Hartenstein might play again for the defending world champions Hartenstein over the past year has told various media outlets that he would like to finally return to the German national team but only if everything aligns in his favor I definitely want to play for the national team again and give something back to Germany "I definitely want to play for the national team again and give something back to Germany - maybe even win a title," he told the Sportbild magazine in early January "If my body feels good after the long season So far there has been no contact with the new national coach (Alex Mumbru) but my goal is to be back on the court for Germany soon." That will come at the end of the season." Hartenstein is spending his seventh season in the NBA - either solely the NBA or with time in the NBA G-League The 26-year-old has not played for the German senior national team since the November 2017 and February 2018 windows for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers Hartenstein does have one major competition under his belt averaging 4.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in four games at the FIBA EuroBasket 2017 - at age 19 Hartenstein also helped Germany take fourth place at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2016 Hartenstein multiple times said he has yet to speak with Coach Mumbru who took the reins of the German team from Gordie Herbert after Germany finished fourth at the 2024 Olympics And the star center emphasized that the NBA is his number one priority - as well as his family Even though German captain Dennis Schroder has said he would like to see Hartenstein play with the German team the center could not give a three-year commitment - something the team wanted to have over the span of 2022 to 2024 Hartenstein appeared in 93 games in 2022-23 and 88 games last season - both for the New York Knicks "I definitely want to play but I will not say I can make a four-year commitment. You play 82 games, and every season I have been in the playoffs, which is not so good for the body," Hartenstein said on the DynBasketball podcast And the past years (being unavailable for the national team) it's been because I didn't have a contract or was injured When it will all works out I will talk to them." Germany fans will have to wait and hope that Hartenstein can give the world champions another boost The Warriors finished with the seventh-best defense in the league, and Green played a massive role in their success. However, not everyone thinks he deserved the nod, with Isaiah Hartenstein of the Oklahoma City Thunder taking a shot at Green USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles past Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) in the first quarter at the Chase Center While Green led the Warriors' solid defense Lu Dort was the best defender on the Oklahoma City Thunder Last season, Rudy Gobert took home DPOTY for anchoring the top-ranked Minnesota Timberwolves defense Green has an advantage that Dort doesn't have: limitless media coverage fueled by his own podcast Green frequently made his case to win the award "I might need to get a podcast with Lu," joked Hartenstein about building Dort's case Neither Dort nor Green would have stood a chance in the DPOTY race had Victor Wembanyama not had his season ended prematurely by a deep vein thrombosis diagnosis in his shoulder He finished the season leading the league in blocks despite only playing in 46 games and will enter next season as the favorite to win the award.  Check out the Inside the Warriors homepage for more news and has been writing for Athlon since 2023 and managed to get even better over the summer The Thunder have become the first team in the 2024-25 season to reach 60 wins sitting comfortably in first place to secure the No 1 seed in the West for the second consecutive year the Thunder signed free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein and he has been a game-changer for Oklahoma City The Thunder are hosting the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night and 2 steals in the first half to help lead OKC to a four-point lead going into the break USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) reacts after making a basket while being found against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at the Golden 1 Center Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn ImagesHartenstein went into Thursday's matchup averaging 11.3 points In Thursday's game against the Grizzlies Hartenstein now has the most assists in a season by a center in Thunder history Isaiah Hartenstein now has the most assists in a season by a center in Thunder history The franchise record was previously held by Hartenstein's frontcourt buddy Hartenstein is having a career year in his debut season with the Thunder becoming a key part of their system and excelling alongside Holmgren The Thunder have put themselves in a great position to compete for an NBA championship this season and signing Hartenstein in the offseason only bolstered their chances Massive Memphis Grizzlies vs Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report Ja Morant's Injury Status for Grizzlies vs Thunder Memphis Grizzlies Make NBA History vs Utah Jazz LOGAN STRUCKLogan Struck is a writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's On SI since 2023 Serge Ibaka days back in Bricktown on Tuesday night Everyone remembers "Iblaka." When Ibaka would get in a mode he was the best shot blocker across the entire association for some time and each swat would amp the crowd up while providing a mental boost and great momentum to the Thunder who came on with Oklahoma City over the offseason showed a glimpse of that versus the Los Angeles Lakers in Tuesday night's game the Thunder had fought till the final minutes before the team was able to blow the doors off and create a large gap Holding an eight-point lead nearing five minutes left to play the Thunder were building serious momentum; and Hartenstein bolstered that even further As LeBron James sprinted like a freight train to an opening down the middle of the key he rose up with his right and was met with a stronger force as Hartenstein met him at the rim and entirely with straight hand to ball Hartenstein blocks LeBron at the rim pic.twitter.com/YQP5Sghtt4 This was the point that electrified the Paycom Center crowd leaving Oklahoma City to forge a 14-point gap in the coming minutes before extending it to as much as 20 ultimately taking the win on Tuesday night This capped off a 2-1 season series win for Oklahoma City as the Thunder avenged its loss to Los Angeles by 27 points on Sunday afternoon at home Hartenstein ended the night with two massive blocks the other coming against Dalton Knecht in the second frame eight points and a game-leading 15 rebounds to lead Oklahoma City Hartenstein only tallied six rebounds to bring the Thunder to 34 on the game compared to the Lakers' 43 Oklahoma City was still out-rebounded on Tuesday Hartenstein's ability to hold down the fort in the paint will be very much needed heading down the barrel of the postseason dynamic defense will be integral from Hartenstein for this team when facing physical teams in the playoffs NATHAN AKERNathan is a senior at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Public Relations set to graduate in May 2024. He holds experience covering multiple sports, primarily basketball, at the high school and collegiate level.  Brendan O’Sullivan provides the latest injury updates for Isaiah Hartenstein on Saturday Isaiah Hartenstein won’t return to tonight’s game against the Pacers due to left hip soreness. The Thunder center did not come out with the team to start the second half There’s no indication where Hartenstein suffered the injury or how long this could keep him sidelined for The Thunder are already without Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams tonight so the frontcourt is extra small without Hartenstein The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is osullivanb255) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets face the Thunder tonight for Game 1 of their conference semifinal series Here’s the top Jokic prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook Acuña has yet to play this season after undergoing ACL surgery last year CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (AZ/CO/DC/IA/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA/MD/ME/MI/NC/NJ/NH/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/VT/WV/WY) (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA) Call 877-8-HOPENY / text HOPENY (467369) (NY).Please Gamble Responsibly Void where prohibited.21+ (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY) Physically present in AZ/CO/DC/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/KY/LA(select parishes)/MA/MD/ME/MI/NC/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/VT/WV/WY only On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS) Isaiah Hartenstein and Aaron Wiggins talked to the local media after practice They're preparing for the Grizzlies to play much better in Game 2 after being down by as many as 56 points on Sunday All three discussed Lu Dort not being named a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year The Thunder campaigned hard for him to be nominated but fell just short Hartenstein even teased that they should start a podcast ala Draymond Green to create buzz Even though it hasn’t been picture perfect — with multiple injuries scattered throughout — the final results have been an overwhelming success This has been the franchise’s best team in its existence and this Thunder squad has a great chance to win it all One of the biggest reasons why this Thunder team can go the distance is because of their offseason acquisitions Oklahoma City was an elite basketball team that secured the top spot in the Western Conference But that team didn’t have a role player like Alex Caruso or a starting big man like Isaiah Hartenstein Oklahoma City has never had a player quite like Hartenstein The big man was brought to Oklahoma City to rebound The Thunder needed size and strength down low and Hartenstein was an obvious answer as a free agent The Thunder made him an offer he couldn’t refuse He has proven to be much more than just a rebounder too — which is more than the Thunder could’ve asked for He has expanded his own game in Oklahoma City’s system as the Thunder has helped cultivate is personal growth The biggest area of exploration for Hartenstein has been as a hub on offense tapping into his passing skillset and creativity Hartenstein has now recorded the most assists in a season by a Thunder center in franchise history — and there’s still nine games left Hartenstein is averaging career-highs in every category across the board with 11.4 points He has helped the Thunder generate offense and has transformed his game as a playmaker He's the best passing big man Oklahoma City has ever had and he's just figuring out his strengths on offense Isaiah Hartenstein (hip) listed available to play Monday Oklahoma City Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein left Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers early due to a hip injury and he's listed as questionable on Monday against the Chicago Bulls with the same ailment Since the Thunder have already locked up the No 1 seed in the Western Conference and have the lead on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No they may decide to play things safe with Hartenstein on Monday night The big man has been great for OKC in his first season with the franchise 10.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field the Thunder will likely lean on Chet Holmgren (also questionable for this game) and Jaylin Williams (also questionable) at the center spot OKC is still favored by 15 points at DraftKings Sportsbook which could be a good sign for Hartenstein Holmgren and Williams and their chances of playing in this matchup This story will be updated with Hartenstein's official status for Monday's game against Chicago Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here Are you new to DraftKings? Sign up today and place a $5 bet to earn a guaranteed $150 in bonus bets. Win or lose DraftKings will issue six $25 bonus bets instantly The Oklahoma City Thunder's stint without a center ended Wednesday night with the debut of 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein Hartenstein came off the bench for Wednesday's home game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He was sidelined for the first 15 games of the season because of a broken left (shooting) hand suffered in the preseason finale The Thunder signed Hartenstein to a three-year, $87 million contract in free agency this summer, planning to pair him with Chet Holmgren to allow Oklahoma City to always have an outstanding rim protector on the floor However, the Thunder haven't had a starter taller than 6-foot-6 since Holmgren suffered a right iliac wing fracture when he took a hard fall in the Nov. 10 loss to the Golden State Warriors the Rookie of the Year runner-up last season Reserve center Jaylin Williams has yet to play this season because of a hamstring strain originally suffered in training camp and recently aggravated The Thunder (11-4) have lost three of their past six games a stretch that began on the night that Holmgren exited in the first half against the Warriors Hartenstein, 26, played a key role in the New York Knicks' 50-win campaign last season 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in a part-time starting role Written by RotoWire Staff three assists and four steals across 25 minutes during Saturday's 117-115 victory over Memphis in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs It was the first double-double of the playoffs for Hartenstein as the Thunder completed the sweep of the Grizzlies The 26-year-old center hasn't played more than 27 minutes in a game yet this postseason and he managed only one block across the four games against Memphis Hartenstein may need to provide a bigger defensive presence in the second round as OKC awaits the winner of the Nuggets-Clippers series which is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Tuesday Since Chet Holmgren returned from his hip fracture in February, the Oklahoma City Thunder spent the last two months of the regular season gelling his chemistry with Isaiah Hartenstein despite some rocky moments — relatively speaking The concept of rocky moments is foreign to the Thunder this season They had a franchise-best 68-14 record and captured the NBA's record for best point differential in league history They only had two two-game losing streaks all season long Having a strong hold of the first seed for most of the season the Thunder could afford some growing pains between the two seven-footers The double-big lineup was prominently featured in OKC's starting lineup and turned into a winning machine by the end of the season In 316 minutes together Holmgren and Hartenstein had a 12.5 net rating It's not the biggest simple size among the Thunder's two-player combinations and not the highest net rating As the Thunder await their Round 1 opponent the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks could be opportune opponents to utilize the Holmgren-Hartenstein duo The eighth seed will have Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II or Jaren Jackson Jr Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is confident in Holmgren and Hartenstein They spent most of the post-All-Star break schedule prioritizing their rapport and didn't need to sacrifice wins to do so It controls the glass on both ends of the floor Those guys work really well together," Daigneault said "It's given us a completely different tool to draw on but it'll be a part of what we do no matter who we play." Who the Thunder start in Game 1 will be an interesting storyline There's no question there are matchups and moments where they look better with just Holmgren at center but there's no doubt the double-big appeal is easy to understand Isaiah Hartenstein is filling the void in OKC's frontcourt Isaiah Hartenstein has been a dominant force for the Thunder averaging a double-double in his 5 games played Concern around the Oklahoma City Thunder’s frontcourt without Chet Holmgren has been all but nullified thanks to the return and stellar play of Isaiah Hartenstein He’s made an early impact in Oklahoma City posting a double-double in all five appearances he helped Oklahoma City win four of five contests reclaiming the top spot in the Western Conference who returned from a fractured hand weeks sooner than expected and 1.8 blocks per game across five with the Thunder this season The big man’s impact has gone beyond just his play in the paint He’s shown how to distribute as an outlet in the pick-and-roll with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a skill we saw on display during the latter half of the 2023-24 season with the Knicks The 7-footer from Germany is on pace for career highs across the board adding to a team that is already dominating the league defensively Oklahoma City ranks top five among all teams in steals Hartenstein has helped OKC reach a 15-5 record Stability at the center position allows the Thunder to ease Holmgren back into the rotation when he is ready for action Dallas and Orlando are among the big risers in the Top 10 as the season nears its quarter point Holmgren took a hard fall and had to be helped off the floor in the 1st quarter of Sunday's game RotoWire highlights the best players to start at each position heading into Week 7 of fantasy basketball After failing to win a title with a superstar trio in the 2010s Oklahoma City is back in contention with a young RotoWire highlights the top performers after the 2nd full week of the 2025 NBA Playoffs either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content The 61-12 Oklahoma City Thunder will be hosting the 43-30 Indiana Pacers tonight in a matchup of two upper-echelon teams in the NBA More news: Grizzlies President Zach Kleiman Releases Statement on Taylor Jenkins Shockingly Being Fired The Pacers currently sit at fourth in the Eastern Conference standings and are looking to hold on to home-court advantage in their final nine games with the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks nipping at their heels The Thunder have nobody anywhere close to their heels sitting at first in the Western Conference by a whopping 13.5 games over the Houston Rockets They will be looking to continue a historic season where they can reach 70 wins on the season if they win out Regarding injuries both teams are relatively healthy with only a few small injuries the biggest player currently hurt for them is young wing Bennedict Mathurin Mathurin is third on the team in scoring with 16.1 points per game and has started 48 of the 67 games he has played in with the reason listed being left calf soreness More news: What's Next For Grizzlies Following Shocking Firing of Taylor Jenkins? their injury report consists of a multitude of role players with the top guy being starting center and leading rebounder Isaiah Hartenstein The big man is averaging a double-double on the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds per game and is also third on the team in assists and second on the team in blocks Despite dealing with a nasal fracture injury, Hartenstein is available for tonight's game while Alex Caruso and Jaylin Williams remain questionable One luxury the Thunder have regarding their position in the standings is that they can rest players if they desire who have lingering injuries they have clinched their current spot in the standings so the rest of the games are just warmups for the playoffs The Pacers are in a good position to obtain home-court advantage in their first-round matchup but that doesn't mean they can sit anyone they like on any given night In what should be a fun matchup between two talented young teams it will be interesting to see if the Pacers can score on the historically good Thunder defense even without Mathurin Lakers' LeBron James Roasts Stephen A. Smith with Taylor Swift Comparison For more on the NBA at large, head on over to Newsweek Sports Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article Newsletters in your inbox See all The Thunder’s second-round exit against the Mavericks made one thing clear: the roster needed changes Adding these two foundational pieces to the Oklahoma City roster allowed the team to see increased success in many ways this season This season, the Thunder have been recognized as one of the greatest defensive teams the league has seen in recent years. Leading the NBA in defensive rating (106.7) OKC has been a nightmare to play against all season Hartenstein has added a new level of interior defense to the team, which the Thunder lacked previously. He is averaging a career high in blocks (1.1) and defensive rebounds (7.9) this season This has led to OKC allowing the fewest points in the paint per game this season (42.5) without Hartenstein’s paint presence the Thunder allowed 47 points in the paint per game This has allowed the Thunder to reach a new high defensively HARTENSTEIN WITH THE BLOCK OF THE YEAR 😱 pic.twitter.com/qbh5YSF5QN — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 9, 2025 Alex Caruso has built his reputation on tenacious earning himself back-to-back NBA All-Defensive Team honors prior to joining the Thunder Few match Caruso’s intensity and effort on the defensive end Caruso only sees the floor about 19 minutes per game this season, but he hustles every second of those 19 minutes. Averaging 1.5 steals per game, he sits at 13th in the NBA in deflections per game with 3.4 His energy defense provides a much-needed boost for OKC coming off the bench That Wiggins 🤝 Caruso connection pic.twitter.com/IKyobzmZAR — OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 9, 2024 When a competitive team brings in new players it can be a struggle for those players to find their role within the team This hasn’t been the case with Caruso or Hartenstein Both players have wasted no time making their presence known within the organization Hartenstein’s playmaking ability has been flying under the radar all season Currently averaging a career-best 3.8 assists per game he has impressed his teammates with his passing Whether he’s finding shooters on the perimeter or tossing pinpoint lobs Hartenstein consistently showcases his high basketball IQ through his passing A pass you have to see to believe 🤐@OGandE Power Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/cLKGD4x3TQ — OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 3, 2025 Caruso also fits right in with the team. A pre-existing relationship with Coach Mark Daigneault has made his transition into the rotation much smoother Caruso’s familiarity with Daigneault stems from their time together with the Oklahoma City Blue Caruso also brings a veteran and championship mindset to the team He won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers so he knows what it takes to make deep playoff runs This will allow him to provide much-needed guidance to such a young group of talented players He’s never distracted by how the game’s going for him… He just plays the next play the same way The defensive versatility and intellect are also huge.” Immediately impacting both sides of the ball Caruso and Hartenstein have helped elevate the Oklahoma City Thunder to a new level they have achieved a franchise-high 65 wins making it the best regular season in OKC history The offseason additions Sam Presti made to the roster have only strengthened the Thunder’s already impactful defensive core Caruso and Hartenstein have shown themselves to be plug-and-play guys for the young and exciting OKC squad With Caruso and Hartenstein now in the rotation the Thunder’s ceiling has never been higher as they look to make a deep push into the postseason Nick Richard is a junior at Sacred Heart University majoring in Sport Management and minoring in Business Economics he’s been a devoted Oklahoma City Thunder fan since first falling in love with basketball as a little kid combining his passion for the game with a drive to one day work within a professional sports organization Enter your email address to stay connected with the latest NBA insight Enter your email address below to stay connected with The Lead's latest NBA insight Powered by themekiller.com