Isaiah Hartenstein’s two-way effects pay dividends for OKC Donner

The Oklahoma City Thunder knew that it had improvement areas when he signed a three-year contract of $ 87 million in the 26-year-old center of Isaiah Hartenstein last July. Last season, the Thunder Chet Holmgren started in the center for all 92 regular seasonal and playoff games. There were remarkable compromises because the beginner offered an excellent ground spacing and the edge protection, but had to deal with defensive re -bouncing and general physicality.

Hartenstein, who turned 27 on Monday, contributed to supporting these weaknesses and at the same time improving strengths that have so far been lacking thunder.

On the offensive, his screening Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams offers plenty of space that feel comfortable to create their own offense. It also flows into possible short-haul games, where he found cutters, open shooters and brought out an extraordinary floater touch between eight to 12 feet.

Hartenstein scored an average of 11.2 points with 60.5% 2-point shooting and 3.8 templates per game in the regular season. In six playoff games, he achieved 10.3 points with 63.6% 2-point shooting and 3.5 templates per game and achieved average a few minutes due to several winnings from Thunder Blowout.

Gilgeous-Alexander picked up numerous ways of how Hartenstein Oklahoma City benefits after destroying the Denver Nuggets 149-106 in game 2 of the second round on Wednesday evening.

“His death, his relaxation, his game, his communication, his camaraderie, his leadership,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “Isaiah is a really good basketball player at the end of the day. In which situation they throw him into, he will thrive. He does the right things, he has the right intentions.”

The nuggets won an Aaron Gordon 3 pointer with 2.8 seconds in game 1, but celebrated a double-digit comeback by MVP finalist Nikola Jokics individual brilliance and dominated the offensive glass (21). Two nights later Hartenstein and the thunder jokic voted in 17 points at 16 shots and allowed 13 offensive bogies in Denver. These are important areas for Oklahoma City, on which you can concentrate for the rest of the series because you maintain considerable sales, distance and depth advantages.

In 11 minutes, 31 seconds against Hartenstein’s head-to-head defense, Jokic has registered 19 points with 7-against-15 shooting, four templates and two sales. The Nuggets scored 58 points in these 56.8 parties, which was less efficient than when Holmgren has been dealt with with Jokic.

“It is no coincidence that we made the leap from last year (Hartenstein) and (Alex) Caruso,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “These boys are big playmakers at both ends of the floor and in the changing room.”

The Thunder Play Game 3 in Denver against the Nuggets this evening at 9 p.m. CST.

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