Isaiah Hartenstein is everything Knicks need (and more): How Nikola Jokic’s former backup became indispensable

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In the small north German town of Quakenbrück, a 14-year-old Isaiah Hartenstein chafed at his coach’s instructions. He was one of the country’s best players in his age group, and, for a portion of each game, he was flat-out forbidden from scoring.

“It was the third quarters,” Hartenstein said. “Like, ‘You’re only allowed to pass the ball now.'”

Hartenstein grew up playing on the perimeter, so he had guard skills. The coach — his father, Florian, a longtime pro in Germany — wanted him to hone his court vision and think pass-first. Florian, a 6-foot-9 bruiser, saw his son becoming much more than that.

“I hated it at the time,” Hartenstein said. “But I think he saw the bigger picture.”

A decade later in New York, Hartenstein was coming off a strong season with the Los Angeles Clippers, in which the 7-footer had thrived as a facilitator, showing off the skills he’d been sharpening since he was small. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, however, didn’t need him to be a handoff hub or high-post passer. Thibodeau needed him to protect the paint, rebound, set solid screens and roll hard to the rim. To play, essentially, more like his father.

About a month into the 2022-23 season, Hartenstein told reporters that he was trying to adapt to his limited role while dealing with inflammation in his Achilles tendon. It was not clear then that things would work out for him in New York, let alone that he’d become a fan favorite the way he has this season. Over time, Hartenstein’s role evolved. He got good at the grunt work, and he blended it with the playmaking.

“Coming in, it took us some time to adjust,” Hartenstein said. “But I think, unless you’re really the top guy on any team, you’re going to have to adjust to a certain role. You’re not going to be able to do everything you want. So, I mean, if you want to be a winning player, you have to be able to do it. Now I’m in a perfect situation, where I’m allowed to play my game, and it’s been working really well.”

Hartenstein has put himself in the mix for All-Defense, helped his team withstand…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/isaiah-hartenstein-is-everything-knicks-need-and-more-how-nikola-jokics-former-backup-became-indispensable/

Author : James Herbert

Publish date : 2024-03-29 15:36:45

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