Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Isaiah Hartenstein was still one of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s key players, but in the series opener against the San Antonio Spurs, the German saw only sporadic playing time. After the game, Coach Mark Daigneault explained his decision.
Isaiah Hartenstein was on the court for just 12:10 minutes in a game that went into double overtime and lasted a total of 3:05 hours. The German center tallied two points, two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, but played only sporadically after halftime, even though he started the game as usual.
Coach Mark Daigneault reacted quickly, however, after the Thunder failed to score in the first 2:30 minutes. Hartenstein had to come off the floor; guard Alex Caruso became the fifth starter and went on to set a new playoff high with 31 points. “Our plan was to stagger his minutes and play Caruso more,” said the coach. “I just didn’t know how quickly I’d have to do it. But that was the plan from the start.”
Hartenstein: The Problem with the Two Bigs
The reason was obvious. On defense, Hartenstein was matched up against playmaker Stephon Castle, which is his forte. However, the Spurs put Wembanyama on him on the other end, but he dropped so far back from Hartenstein that the zone was completely clogged. Unsurprisingly, San Antonio doesn’t respect the German’s shot, as he has missed all of his last 26 three-pointers.
He hasn’t made a single three-pointer yet in a Thunder jersey; the last time he was successful was over two years ago in the playoffs for New York against the Indiana Pacers. Yet the German is actually capable of it—during his junior days, Hartenstein took shots more frequently, and for the Clippers, he once made 14 of 30 attempts in a single season.
Either way: The Spurs would be fine with that, and that makes it difficult to find a role for the 28-year-old in the series. Frontcourt teammate Chet Holmgren (8 points, 2-for-4 from three, 8 rebounds) didn’t exactly cover himself in glory either, but he’s respected. So Hartenstein only saw action when Wembanyama got a rest. In those minutes against Spurs backup Luke Kornet, the German finally showcased his strengths better—as a defensive anchor and a playmaker in disguise.
Hartenstein: Will the Coach Find Solutions?
Daigneault didn’t let on whether he plans to make any changes for the upcoming games, but he will certainly look for ways to get Hartenstein more playing time. After all, the big man is an important player and could help defensively, especially on the boards and against Wemby.
One approach would be more touches and hand-offs if Wemby continues to drop back; that’s just one option for more open shots. Still, this matchup isn’t ideal for the German, who is averaging 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 24.1 minutes this postseason. Nor is this the first time Hartenstein’s minutes have been reduced. In the Finals series against the Indiana Pacers, Daigneault even benched the German, but ultimately he was able to work his way back into the rotation time and again.