How Victor Wembanyama totally eliminated Thunder playing time for Isaiah Hartenstein
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How Victor Wembanyama totally eliminated Thunder playing time for Isaiah Hartenstein originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder only left Isaiah Hartenstein in a couple minutes past opening tip-off on Monday night before subbing him out for Alex Caruso.
It was an immediate telling narrative, one identified in a smart article by The Athletic's John Hollinger to show just how impactful Victor Wembanyama is for the San Antonio Spurs.
Hartenstein is a good center.
The Thunder also felt they simply couldn't play him at the same time as Wemby.
Hollinger writes that for the remainder of Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, the only 10 minutes Hartenstein was in the game were when Luke Kornet was on the floor for the Spurs.
When Wembanyama was in, Hartenstein was out.
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Why did the Thunder do this?
The problem is that Hartenstein doesn't pull Wemby away from the basket.
His best work is done as a screener and an interior presence, but the last thing an offensive team needs is a guy who Wembanyama can simply guard near the paint. That leaves him near the basket to defend the rim against anyone else who comes inside.
By playing four guards at times, the Thunder spaced the floor more effectively, at least making Wemby venture out toward the arc.
An offense will never fully neutralize Wembanyama as a defender, but this was the Thunder's best effort. His defense is so good that it forced them to sit one of their best players for the high majority of the double-overtime game.
That's a pretty much unprecedented impact, and it's likely to continue all series long.
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