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After being honored as the Finals MVP and securing the G League championship with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2019, Isaiah Hartenstein has now become a pivotal player for the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2025 NBA Finals, presented by YouTube TV.
This marks a significant progression in the 27-year-old German-American center’s career. Hartenstein began with the Houston Rockets, primarily in the G League, followed by a stint with the Denver Nuggets where he played in the shadow of Nikola Jokic. His journey continued through less impactful periods with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, and New York Knicks. Upon joining the Thunder last July, he inked a three-year contract, subsequently solidifying his position as the starting center under head coach Mark Daigneault.
Reflecting on his journey, Hartenstein mentioned in a media session after practice on Sunday, “The only time I really paused for a moment was after we won the Western Conference Finals. I took a step back to talk with my wife and thought about how I transitioned from winning an MVP in the G League finals to being a starter with a significant role here. It’s all about appreciating the journey.”
The Thunder advanced to the Finals after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies and narrowly defeating the Nuggets in a seven-game series. They then overcame the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, winning the Western Conference and securing an eight-day respite before facing off in the Finals.
Hartenstein commented on the current series dynamics, stating, “Entering at 2-2 instead of 3-1 is a big deal. The series feels like it resets now. It’s a best-of-three now,” as he set his sights on Game 5 at the Paycom Center on Monday.
Throughout his fourth playoff run, Hartenstein has played over 20 games, averaging 8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game, with Finals statistics showing him averaging 4.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. During the regular season of 2024-25, he posted career-best numbers with averages of 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
Before his NBA career, Hartenstein was selected as the 43rd pick in the 2017 draft, after having played five games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with Zalgiris in the 2016-17 season. On the international stage, he represented Germany at EuroBasket 2017 and during the FIBA World Cup 2019 Qualifiers.
### Recent Playoff Results:
– **Cleveland Cavaliers–Miami Heat**: 4-0 (121-100, 121-112, 124-87, 138-83)
– **Boston Celtics–Orlando Magic**: 4-1 (103-86, 109-100, 93-95, 107-98, 120-89)
– **New York Knicks–Detroit Pistons**: 4-2 (123-112, 94-100, 118-116, 94-93, 103-106, 116-113)
– **Indiana Pacers–Milwaukee Bucks**: 4-1 (117-98, 123-115, 101-117, 129-103, 119-118)
– **Oklahoma City Thunder–Memphis Grizzlies**: 4-0 (131-80, 118-99, 114-108, 117-115)
– **Houston Rockets–Golden State Warriors**: 3-4 (85-95, 109-94, 93-104, 106-109, 131-116, 115-107, 89-103)
– **Los Angeles Lakers–Minnesota Timberwolves**: 1-4 (95-117, 94-85, 104-116, 113-116, 96-103)
– **Denver Nuggets–Los Angeles Clippers**: 4-3 (112-110, 102-105, 83-117, 101-99, 131-115, 105-111, 120-101)
– **Cleveland Cavaliers–Indiana Pacers**: 1-4 (112-121, 119-120, 126-104, 109-129, 105-114)
– **Boston Celtics–New York Knicks**: 2-4 (105-108, 90-91, 115-93, 113-121, 127-102, 81-119)
– **Oklahoma City Thunder–Denver Nuggets**: 4-3 (119-121, 149-106, 104-113, 92-87, 112-105, 107-119, 125-93)
– **Minnesota Timberwolves–Golden State Warriors**: 4-1 (88-99, 117-93, 102-97, 117-110, 121-110)
– **New York Knicks–Indiana Pacers**: 2-4 (135-138, 109-114, 106-100, 121-130, 111-94, 108-125)
– **Oklahoma City Thunder–Minnesota Timberwolves**: 4-1 (114-88, 118-103, 101-143, 128-126, 124-94)
– **Oklahoma City Thunder–Indiana Pacers**: 2-2 (110-111, 123-107, 107-116, 111-104)
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