Hartenstein Leads Thunder Past Kings with Career Night
Isaiah Hartenstein delivered his best performance yet, posting 33 points and 19 rebounds to power the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Sacramento Kings 132–101 on Friday night.
Dominant Showing Inside
The 7-foot center was nearly unstoppable, hitting 14 of 17 field goals while also contributing three assists and three blocks. His presence in the paint was decisive as Oklahoma City outscored Sacramento 60–34 near the rim.
“Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high 33 points along with 19 rebounds,” the game report noted.
Key Contributions from Teammates
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 30 points, guiding the Thunder (9–1) to rebound quickly after their only loss of the season in Portland. Cason Wallace chipped in 15 points, and Isaiah Joe added 13 as Oklahoma City secured its first NBA Cup tournament win.
Kings Without Sabonis
The Kings were missing their standout big man, Domantas Sabonis, for a second straight game due to sore ribs. Without him, Sacramento struggled to defend the interior and fell behind by as many as 23 points. Russell Westbrook, playing against his former team, scored 24 points with nine assists.
Reversal from Last Matchup
The Thunder defeated the Kings for the second time in 11 days, reversing the injury roles from their previous meeting. In that earlier game, Sabonis played while the Thunder were without Chet Holmgren. This time, Holmgren returned with 10 points and seven rebounds as Sabonis watched from the bench.
Author’s Summary
Isaiah Hartenstein’s breakout 33-point, 19-rebound performance carried the Thunder past a Sabonis-less Kings team, marking their second win over Sacramento in under two weeks.