A recent performance from the Thunder big man could spark another area of OKC's offense.
Isaiah Hartenstein is just a piece in a large, efficient puzzle that is the Oklahoma City Offense. After a recent 24-point performance, his importance as a scorer for the Thunder might be increased. Hartenstein finished with 24 points on 11-for-15 shooting against the Milwaukee Bucks, eyes were opened surrounding his offensive skillset.
He's never been the focus of the Thunder offense and probably won't be, but scoring outbursts like this will be helpful come playoff time. Having a strong post presence for any team is important on both sides of the ball, but Hartenstein appears to do more than that. He can distribute the ball and be an offensive hub for the guards moving away from the ball, but his scoring has always slightly been in question. At this point, it shouldn't be. He's proven that when neccesary, he can give OKC the scoring they need. Hartenstein just understands his role for Mark Daigneault and OKC and plays that role near-perfect. That being said, a step-up in offensive production could be a nice added boost. His touch around the room allows him to shoot at an efficient 57.8% level. That's among the best in the NBA when it comes to field goal percentage. Hartenstein's reliability also makes him useful when it comes to clutch situations, whether he's scoring or distributing the ball. Hartenstein's role might look a bit different with forward Chet Holmgren back in the picture, however. He will still have the chance to be a scorer, but it's possible that the big man missed his window to emerge as a larger scoring threat when Holmgren was out due to injury. If Hartenstein wanted to take on a larger offensive role, the time to do it would've been when Holmgren was sidelined. Now, the two are playing side-by-side. The two clearly work well together when it comes to chemistry, defense and playmaking, but it's also clear that both are seeing reduced offensive roles. It makes sense that it's the case for those two, but it still makes a difference. Regardless of what he's doing on offense or defense, he's doing it in an efficient manner, making him an integral part of Oklahoma City's roster. If he can continue to post performances like he did against the Bucks on Sunday, then he will continue to be relied on to do just that. Big men like Hartenstein don't come around often when it comes to general impact, so he's made the most of his role.Michael is a sophomore from Papillion, NE who is currently a student at the University of Missouri studying journalism. He covers the university’s football program at Missouri Tigers on SI and is the co-sports editor for The Maneater, the student publication for the university.
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