Thunder big Isaiah Hartenstein reveals what (and who) specifically ‘makes us great’.
Through 19 games played, the OKC Thunder remain the best in the west as they boast the top-record in the standings at 15-4.
Despite all the injuries Mark Daigneault’s club has endured, they’ve remained dominant on both ends of the floor, leading the league in defensive rating (102.8), net rating (10.8), and overall plus-minus (+10.7).
Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) reacts in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) reacts in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Through 19 games played, the OKC Thunder remain the best in the west as they boast the top-record in the standings at 15-4.
Despite all the injuries Mark Daigneault’s club has endured, they’ve remained dominant on both ends of the floor, leading the league in defensive rating (102.8), net rating (10.8), and overall plus-minus (+10.7).
From headliners like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams playing up to their star statuses to phenomenal role players and surprise rookies like Ajay Mitchell breaking onto the scene and providing crucial on-court contributions, Oklahoma City projects as one of the most well-rounded squads the NBA has to offer.
While talent certainly has had a significant impact on their top-seeded status, following their thriller of a win over the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night Isaiah Hartenstein delved into why, exactly, this Thunder team is so special.
Thunder big Isaiah Hartenstein breaks down what ‘makes us great’
“Some guys, I’ll be honest, they play selfishly. There are some guys in the league who just kind of play more for themselves [and] they don’t play for the team. [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams] don’t. They’re very team focused and I think that’s what makes us great,” Hartenstein said.
Hartenstein would further extrapolate his assessment of OKC’s selflessness by specifically highlighting the overall defensive tenacity of the ball club’s stars, saying “They don’t take plays off.”
“I think a lot of NBA stars, they kind of take a lot of plays off defensively. They don’t and I feel like that’s what makes them very unselfish,” Hartenstein said.
There’s certainly some serious merit behind Hartenstein’s praise of his star running mates’ drive to put forth high-end efforts on the defensive end.
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Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) reacts in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) reacts in the first half against the Los Angeles.
