By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
From being named Finals MVP and winning the G League championship with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2019, Isaiah Hartenstein is now a key player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV.
A major career upgrade for the 27-year-old German-American center, following a start with the Houston Rockets largely focused on the G League, playing behind Nikola Jokic at the Denver Nuggets, and further uneventful stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, and New York Knicks. Joining the Thunder, he signed a three-year contract last July. He has since emerged as the starting option at the five position for head coach Mark Daigneault.
“I think the only time I took time was after the Western Conference Finals, when we won that, I took a little step back, talked to my wife, and I was just thinking how I was in G-League finals and won an MVP there. It’s going from that to being here, starting, having a big role,” he said in a media session after practice on Sunday, opening up about his path from the G League championship to the NBA Finals, “I think you just have to appreciate it.”
After sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies and edging out the Nuggets in seven games, the top-seeded Thunder eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to win the Western Conference and earn an eight-day break before the Finals.
“Going into it now, 2-2 rather than 3-1, I think, is huge. Now the series kind of starts over again. Best-out-of-three series now,” added Hartenstein, focusing on Game 5 in Paycom Center on Monday.
Over 20 appearances in his fourth postseason run, he has averaged 8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per contest, including 4.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in the Finals. In the 2024-25 Regular Season, he tallied 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per contest, all career highs.
Before landing in the NBA and being selected with the 43rd pick of the 2017 draft, Hartenstein played five Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games with Zalgiris in the 2016-17 season. At the international level, he represented Germany in the EuroBasket 2017 and the FIBA World Cup 2019 Qualifiers.
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2025 NBA Playoffs presented by Google
Conference Quarterfinals (best of seven)
East
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)
West
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)
Conference Semifinals (best of seven)
East
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)
West
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)
Conference Finals (best of seven)
East
New York Knicks – Indiana Pacers 2-4 (135-138, 109-114, 106-100, 121-130, 111-94, 108-125)
West
Oklahoma City Thunder – Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 (114-88, 118-103, 101-143, 128-126, 124-94)
NBA Finals (best of seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Indiana Pacers 2-2 (110-111, 123-107, 107-116, 111-104)