Hartenstein’s Career-High Spurs Thunder to Victory over Kings
Isaiah Hartenstein delivered a career-best performance with 33 points and 19 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.
The 7-foot center was highly efficient, making 14 of 17 shots, and also contributed three assists and three blocks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander supported the effort with 30 points, helping the Thunder (9-1) recover quickly after their only loss of the season two nights earlier in Portland.
Supporting Contributions and Team Dynamics
- Cason Wallace scored 15 points, and Isaiah Joe added 13 as the Thunder secured their first win in the NBA Cup tournament.
- Oklahoma City led by 23 points and capitalized on the absence of Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, outscoring the Kings 60-34 in the paint.
Sabonis missed his second straight game due to sore ribs, which weakened the Kings’ interior presence significantly.
“Sabonis sat out his second consecutive game with sore ribs,”
Russell Westbrook, who played his first nine NBA seasons with the Thunder and remains the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, scored 24 points and handed out nine assists against his former team.
Recent Matchup Context
The Thunder have now beaten the Kings twice in 11 days, including a narrow 107-101 victory in Oklahoma City earlier this month. In that game, the Kings had Sabonis healthy while the Thunder were without Chet Holmgren. This time, the roles were reversed: Sabonis watched the game from the bench in street clothes, while Holmgren contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.
“Sabonis watched from the bench in street clothes while Holmgren had 10 points and seven rebounds.”
Hartenstein’s dominant inside presence and efficient scoring were key factors in the Thunder’s decisive win.
Author’s summary: Isaiah Hartenstein’s career night, combined with strong support from Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren, propelled the Thunder to a commanding victory over the injury-hit Kings.