Isaiah Hartenstein Finds Success Despite Limited Run in Return

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein played his first game in 2026 in Thursday's 123-111 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Hartenstein missed 16 games with a right soleus strain.

Despite the loss, Hartenstein showed some signs of returning to the form he was in prior to the injury. The German big man scored 11 points and added five rebounds in only 18 minutes of play. He shot 3-for-6 from the field and nailed five free throws on six attempts.

Hartenstein was on a minutes restriction, according to the Amazon Prime broadcast and came off the bench for the first time this season. Despite the limited runtime, he tried to make an impact in a game that went out of hand early for the Thunder, falling 12 points behind after the first quarter.

The Thunder are in the midst of an injury crisis while playing their hardest stretch of games so far this season. Adding a high-level contributor like Hartenstein back to the lineup can surely help a team needing a spark to get back on track.

The Thunder struggled to garner consistent offense against Minnesota, with a lack of available ball handlers being detrimental against a very powerful Timberwolf defense. This is a trend that has been ongoing for the team's last four showings, with the team's rout of the Milwaukee Bucks being the last sign of consistent offensive life for the team.

Oklahoma City has a 9-6 record since the calendars flipped to the new year, with Hartenstein missing all but its most recent loss in Minnesota. Heading to Denver to play the top-three-seeded Nuggets on Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock, a player of his caliber getting his feet under him will aid a team that is currently struggling.

On the flipside, the Thunder have rallied to a 68-14 record in Hartenstein's 82 regular-season games with the club, a complete season of proof to show how valuable the center is to the team. Through above-average rim protection, elite rebounding, stellar high-post passing and creating and great positioning and finishing at the rim, Hartenstein is the perfect player for the Thunder's system; the exact reason the team pushed to sign him in the 2024 offseason.

Now back for the second time for the same issue, maintaining his health is the priority for both Hartenstein and the Thunder. When he is on the floor, the team performs at high rates, so the team must ensure the star is on the floor come April.