The Oklahoma City Thunder ended their two-game losing streak with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers, as they got a major boost from one of their key players.
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Isaiah Hartenstein made his season debut on Wednesday, returning from a hand injury that cost him the first month of the 2024-25 campaign. He came off the bench and tallied 13 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, and four blocks on 6-for-12 shooting from the field in 29 minutes of action.
The 26-year-old center gave the Oklahoma City Thunder a much-needed presence in the paint, drawing praise from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“It was amazing. He changed the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said about Hartenstein in the postgame presser. “Obviously, his rebounding, his rim protection, his IQ, and he’s still a little bit rusty out there. But he changed the game for sure.”
“He’s an anchor. He sees everything, let’s you know early, and loud. And it’s great to have that behind you. It allows you to adhere to the ball, be aggressive, be decisive defensively. Yeah, he was special tonight, for sure,” he added.
The Oklahoma City Thunder hope that Hartenstein stays healthy throughout the season, especially since they’re thin at the center position, with Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams nursing injuries.
Isaiah Hartenstein reacts to his Oklahoma City Thunder debut
Isaiah Hartenstein couldn’t have dreamed of a better debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder, especially after receiving a loud ovation from the home fans.
“It was amazing. I feel like just how loud the crowd was, very welcoming. I feel like just going out there now every game just makes it so much easier to play my heart out,” Hartenstein stated via Clemente Almanza of the Thunder Wire.
“You’re just kinda playing more for the front of the jersey. You play to a certain extent about the back of the jersey but it’s really about what’s on the front. I think that’s what kinda makes our team special too,” he added.
