Hartenstein Leads Thunder to a Big Win Over Kings
Isaiah Hartenstein scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed 19 rebounds to power the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 132-101 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Key Player Performances
- Hartenstein, standing 7 feet tall, shot 14 of 17 from the field, adding three assists and three blocks.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 30 points as the Thunder improved to 9-1, rebounding from their only loss two nights earlier in Portland.
- Cason Wallace scored 15 points and Isaiah Joe added 13, helping the Thunder win their first game in the NBA Cup tournament.
Team Dynamics and Strategy
Oklahoma City led by as much as 23 points and dominated inside, outscoring Sacramento 60-34 in the paint. This advantage was boosted by the absence of Sacramento's big man Domantas Sabonis, who missed his second straight game due to sore ribs.
Notable Kings Players
Russell Westbrook, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and a former Thunder player who spent his first nine NBA seasons with Oklahoma City, scored 24 points and handed out nine assists in a game against his old team.
Previous Encounter Contrast
The Thunder defeated the Kings for the second time in 11 days, having won 107-101 in Oklahoma City in the previous match. In that earlier game, the Kings had Sabonis playing while the Thunder were without Chet Holmgren. This time, the roles were reversed: Sabonis sat out in street clothes, and Holmgren contributed 10 points and seven rebounds on the court.
"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."
Summary: Isaiah Hartenstein's standout performance helped the Thunder dominate the Kings, capitalizing on Sacramento's missing star Sabonis and marking a pivotal NBA Cup win for Oklahoma City.
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