Isaiah Hartenstein cracked the code when Thunder critics swore he was unplayable

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was an outing that Isaiah Hartenstein would likely prefer to forget. He played just 12 minutes during the Oklahoma City Thunder's double-overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, causing many to proclaim that he was unplayable against Victor Wembanyama.

Fast forward to Game 5 and Hartenstein has played a direct role in holding Wembanyama in check and helping the Thunder take a 3-2 series lead.

Hartenstein struggled mightily against Wembanyama in Game 1, with the All-NBA First Team honoree posting 41 points and 24 rebounds. Though Hartenstein only played 12 minutes, his struggles during that time became difficult to overlook—on either end of the floor.

John Hollinger of The Athletic followed Game 1 with an article that was a damning evaluation of Hartenstein's performance and general future in the NBA if Wembanyama truly takes over.

"Against Wembanyama, two minutes into the first game of this series, the 64-win, defending champion Thunder realized that one of their elite performers was unplayable. Hartenstein can do a lot of things, but he can’t space the floor, and — as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers already found out — that is basically fatal for a big man playing against Wembanyama, who will just sit in the paint and destroy an entire offense by himself."

That sentiment was echoed throughout the NBAsphere, with Spurs reporter Dusty Garza noting that even a solid bounce-back from Hartenstein in Game 2 was a mere blip on the radar.

As fate would have it, Hartenstein is still making his mark on the Western Conference Finals and proving that one bad game hasn't changed his status as a key player on the defending champions.

Isaiah Hartenstein has turned woeful Game 1 into a distant memory

With his back against the wall and his minutes potentially in danger of being cut, Hartenstein bounced back with a massive Game 2. He posted 10 points, 13 rebounds, eight offensive rebounds, and three assists while playing 27 minutes in a 122-113 win.

Hartenstein then had five points, eight rebounds, and four assists in 21 minutes during a Game 3 victory, and 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in 18 minutes during a Game 4 loss.

The finishing touches were placed on his resurgence when he tallied 12 points, 15 rebounds, six offensive rebounds, four assists, and a block in Game 5. He did so while playing a series-high 31 minutes. Moreover, helped hold Wembanyama to 4-of-15 shooting from the field.

Hartenstein's impact has never been exclusive to statistics, but as he dominates the offensive glass and creates scoring opportunities for his teammates, it'd be a fool's errand to ignore his numbers.

Isaiah Hartenstein is making a positive impact on both ends of the floor

Since Game 1, the Thunder are outscoring the Spurs by 2.5 points per 100 possessions when Hartenstein is on the court. They're allowing just 104.9 points per 100 possessions during that time. Each of those numbers reflect how the big man has helped anchor the defense and hold Wembanyama in check.

There's only so much that can be done to slow a great player down, but Hartenstein is proving a center can make a positive impact against Wembanyama without hitting a three-point shot.

It's the ultimate counter to what Hollinger wrote and many others echoed. Yes, spacing the floor can help pull the 7'4" Defensive Player of the Year out of the paint. It's not, however, the only way to frustrate or make winning plays against him.

With his top-tier screen-setting, his elite-if-you-don't-include-Jokic passing, and his dominant presence on the offensive glass, Hartenstein is keeping Wembanyama on his toes.

Furthermore, Wembanyama has shot 45.5 percent when Hartenstein is the primary defender during this series. That's a fairly sharp decline from the 50.0 percent he's shot from the field against all other Thunder defenders.

In no world can any one player shut Wembanyama down completely, but Hartenstein has proven throughout this series that Game 1 overreactions were unfair and premature.

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