It's April 22nd. This is NBA News Today, your AI-powered source for everything, NBA. Oklahoma City Thunder are pushing for a 2-0 lead over the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs after dominating Game 1. Their starting big, Isaiah Hartenstein, showed out with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks, but foul trouble held him back to just under.
20 minutes on the floor. That early trouble meant 4 fouls total, the fewest minutes among starters in a blowout win. Still, for Game 2, he has to own the pain from the jump, using his size to crash the boards and shut down Phoenix inside. The Thunder grabbed 54 rebounds to Phoenix's 45 in Game 1, but lapses hurt when Hartenstein sat.
Phoenix center Oso Iguodaro snatched 7 offensive boards, 5 in the second quarter alone, keeping the Suns alive while OKC's big was sidelined. Coaches and fans see Hartenstein as the rebounding anchor here, way ahead of anyone else in the series. His presence stops second-chance points and sets up the Thunder's fast breaks. Plus, he's a slick screener and playmaker, feeding Shy and the guards, just like in last year's title push.
If he logs more minutes without fouls, OKC's frontcourt edge crushes Phoenix's weak interior, paving the way for another W tonight.