Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein shares true feelings on big Game 2 minutes swing

Isaiah Hartenstein was left ruminating on his miscues after being benched in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s loss in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

Hartenstein was manhandled by Victor Wembanyama, who had a field day with 41 points and 24 rebounds in their nail-biting escape in double overtime.

So in Game 2 on Wednesday, Hartenstein made sure that he would make a bigger impact.

He helped the Thunder beat the Spurs, 122-113, to tie the best-of-seven series at 1-1. He had a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds on top of three assists. He also held his own against Wembanyama, limiting the touches of the Defensive Player of the Year.

Hartenstein played for 27 minutes, a significant increase from his 12 minutes in Game 1. He stressed that he has always been willing to sacrifice his playing time for the benefit of the squad.

“If you want to play a team sport, on a team like this, you have to put your ego aside and do what’s best for the team,” said the 28-year-old veteran, as quoted by Thunder reporter Nick Gallo.

Hartenstein used to ride the bench in his early years in the NBA before carving out a role with the New York Knicks, which eventually earned him a lucrative deal with the Thunder.

Coach Mark Daigneault lauded Hartenstein after Game 2, calling him a “big-time team guy.”

“Rather than assist and score a point, he understands the intricacies of the game, especially on defense. He brings great physicality on both ends of the floor, especially on the glass,” said Daigneault.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, appeared to have shaded Hartenstein in the postgame interview, but the two-time MVP has since clarified his comment.

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