Given the banner hanging in its rafters — reasonably a few feet higher than even Isaiah Hartenstein could reach — the Los Angeles Lakers had reason to be somewhat confident ahead of their In-Season Tournament elimination game on November 29, 2024. Through lockdown defense, though, the Oklahoma City Thunder confirmed that, in more ways than one, this year’s race to the cup would feature a quite different result. Roughly a week into his return, Hartenstein camps along the rim, taking the onus of delivering the message himself by meeting Dalton Knecht at his apex and sending his once-promising tomahawk away for a forceful swat. Hartenstein’s fearless demonstration arrived in the opening quarter, but Oklahoma City would launchpad that defensive play into victory, holding the Lakers to 19 points below their season average. For the Thunder’s newly-signed big, it also marked his fourth double-double in as many games, as he accumulated 11 points (on four-of-seven shooting), 18 rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block, alongside a team-high nine contested shots. · Nov 30, 2024