Hartenstein Leads Thunder Past Kings with Career Night
Isaiah Hartenstein delivered a career performance, posting 33 points and 19 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.
Dominant Performance
The 7-foot center shot 14-for-17 from the field, adding three assists and three blocks. His performance energized the Thunder, who improved to 9-1 after rebounding from their only loss of the season to Portland.
Supporting Cast Shines
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points, Cason Wallace added 15, and Isaiah Joe finished with 13. The Thunder also captured their opening game in the NBA Cup tournament.
Interior Control
Oklahoma City exploited Sacramento’s lack of size, outscoring the Kings 60-34 in the paint. The Kings were without Domantas Sabonis for the second straight game due to sore ribs, and his absence was clearly felt.
Former Thunder Star Returns
Russell Westbrook, now with Sacramento, tallied 24 points and nine assists against his former team, where he spent nine seasons and became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
Reversed Roles from Previous Matchup
The Thunder defeated the Kings for the second time in 11 days. In their earlier 107-101 win in Oklahoma City, Sabonis played while Chet Holmgren sat out. This time, Sabonis watched from the bench as Holmgren contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.
"It was a complete reverse this time," reporters noted, as the Thunder displayed their depth despite lineup differences.
Author’s summary: Hartenstein’s career-high night fueled the Thunder’s dominant win over a short-handed Kings squad, marking their strong response and control early in the season.