After finishing with 12 minutes in Game 1, Isaiah Hartenstein provided valuable minutes in Game 2 to help even the Thunder vs Spurs series at 1-1. It does seem that he played the most important role in the win, corralling Victor Wembanyama and preventing him from getting touches in the paint.
So far, that worked like a charm, and the Spurs center didn’t have Wilt Chamberlain numbers against Oklahoma City. This gave the defending champs a much better chance at battling on the big stage, and now they’ve tied the series. But heading into Games 3 and 4 in San Antonio, can this be the new dynamic for OKC?
Isaiah Hartenstein’s Minutes Change Thunder vs. Spurs Dynamic
The Thunder learned their lesson well when they realized just how tough it would be to put a lot of wings on Wemby. In fact, this was a disastrous game plan, and it proved to be a futile reason why they lost a winnable Game 1 to begin with. Hartenstein, with all of his might, proved to be the perfect game-changer that OKC needed to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole.
Wemby Didn’t Dominate the Game
As much as fans enjoyed his legendary 41-point, 24-rebound game in Game 1, with some already calling him the best player in the world, Wemby was shut down quite hard in Game 2. By his standards, going 8 of 16 from the field is quite a dirty shooting percentage. He did have 17 rebounds and four blocks, but he also shot 3 of 7 from three — five more than his total attempts in Game 1.
Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 20 less than his previous performance. This just shows how Hartenstein’s rugged and tough defense proved to be quite the factor. In fact, Wemby was held to just four points on 2-of-7 shooting in the fourth quarter. He also missed three 3-pointers, and the Thunder rolled into a scoring avalanche to put the game away, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s dagger to ice it for good.
“Arguably one of the best games [Isaiah] Hartenstein's played in a Thunder uniform.” @WindhorstESPN after OKC’s defensive effort against Wemby in Game 2 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/1APY0Wgu3f
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 21, 2026
While this isn’t actually a bad game from Wembanyama, it goes without saying that IHart’s defense affected him so much that he didn’t find a way to impose his will. Without Wemby’s best, the Spurs faltered, especially with Dylan Harper going down, and Stephon Castle compiling plenty of turnovers again.
IHart Proved He’s Playable vs. the Spurs
With just 12 minutes in Game 1, head coach Mark Daigneault stressed that it felt very wrong to have the big man play so few minutes, considering that he offers more size, length, and strength to go up against Wembanyama. In Game 2, Hartenstein played 27 minutes, finishing with 10 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 4 of 8 from the field.
While those are not the same flashy numbers as Wemby’s, it was the final stretch that proved to be pivotal for the Game 2 victory. Hartenstein outmuscled the Spurs center during key possessions where the offensive rebound could have given San Antonio plenty of chances to win. IHart stepped up and finished with a total of eight offensive rebounds Wednesday, which says a lot about how he earned his minutes.
Wemby only had THREE baskets in the paint tonight. pic.twitter.com/Z9WFjoKJGW
— Sam Humphreys (@SamHumphreys34) May 21, 2026
Hartenstein played all 12 minutes in the fourth. Yes, that’s way more than even what Chet Holmgren did. His strength proved to be pivotal in negating Wembanyama’s presence in the paint. For context, Wemby had 20 paint points in Game 1, but only six in Game 2. If anything, this says a lot about how IHart may be the best defender that OKC has against the Spurs star.
Can OKC Use the Same Tactics to Win?
Back in the series against Denver, OKC also had plenty of adjustments to make when they played against Nikola Jokic. Ultimately, the double big pairing of Holmgren and Hartenstein proved to be the best option. IHart was matching Jokic’s size, while Holmgren roamed around as a shot blocker to give the Thunder more flexibility in the paint. Hartenstein getting physical with Wemby just might turn the tide for their chances of winning.
Charles Barkley calls out people who complained OKC was physical with Victor Wembanyama:
“You people at home and tv talkin about they were physical with Wemby, man y’all need to stop it. I’ve been kissed harder…. There was no excessive fouls. For you people thinking that’s… pic.twitter.com/jsBGXtZtMy
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 21, 2026
So far, the Game 2 win by Oklahoma City proved that this could be the formula for them to come out on top. Now they will need Hartenstein to continue proving his worth, and approach the game with one goal in mind: slow Wemby down.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
