Hartenstein's Career Night Leads Thunder Over Kings
Isaiah Hartenstein recorded a career-best 33 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.
Strong Individual and Team Performances
The 7-foot center was highly efficient, making 14 of 17 shots, along with contributing three assists and three blocks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 30 points, helping the Thunder (9-1) recover after their only loss this season in Portland just two days earlier.
Cason Wallace scored 15 points, and Isaiah Joe contributed 13, marking the Thunder's first victory in the NBA Cup tournament.
Paint Dominance and Key Absences
Oklahoma City led by 23 points at one point, heavily exploiting Sacramento's weakness inside by outscoring the Kings 60-34 in the paint. This advantage was partly due to Domantas Sabonis sitting out his second game in a row with sore ribs.
Notable Performances from the Kings
Despite the loss, Sacramento’s Russell Westbrook, who spent the first nine NBA seasons with the Thunder and is their all-time leading scorer, posted 24 points and nine assists against his former team.
Recent Matchup Context
The Thunder secured their second victory over the Kings in 11 days, after winning 107-101 in Oklahoma City earlier in October. Back then, the Kings had Sabonis healthy, while the Thunder were missing Chet Holmgren. This game saw the exact opposite: Sabonis watched from the bench, and Holmgren contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.
“Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high 33 points along with 19 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.”
Author's summary: Isaiah Hartenstein's standout performance powered the Thunder to a commanding win over the Kings, highlighted by strong team scoring and key player absences on Sacramento’s side.