Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops bold take on Isaiah Hartenstein after win over Kings

The OKC Thunder have officially started a new winning streak, as they rattled off their second consecutive victory Monday night in blowout fashion against the Sacramento Kings.

While many things went right for Oklahoma City on the night, such as their 45.2 three-point conversion rate and holding opposing stars like De'Aaron Fox to a mere 14 points, easily the most buzzed-about takeaway from their 130-109 triumph was the elite screen-setting abilities by big man Isaiah Hartenstein.

Though many Thunder fans may have initially been under the impression that the 26-year-old's 7-foot, 249-pound frame would primarily benefit OKC's rebounding production and interior defensive efforts, through two games into his inaugural regular season with the franchise it's evident that his stature is ideal for one other key attribute: Screen-setting.

Against the Kings, Hartenstein served as a brick wall in the pick department and directly had a hand in creating space for a number of his teammates on scoring plays.

One of the most frequent beneficiaries of these particular skills on the night was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who saw 14 of his 37 total points scored come after receiving a screen from I-Hart.

Following the game, the superstar guard couldn't help but sing his teammate's praise for his help in this area of the game, gushing over his seamless fit with the team and describing him as the ideal pivot to play alongside, saying: "He's a dream big man for a marquee guy."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander calls Thunder's Isaiah Hartenstein 'a dream big'

Considering just how impressive his production and overall impact on the team has been since making his debut last Wednesday, it should come as no surprise that SGA wasn't the only one to hype Hartenstein after Monday's win.

Coach Mark Daigneault went on record to call the center "the best guy I’ve coached" when it comes to the art of screen setting, while Jalen Williams (8 of his 28 points came off I-Hart picks) would note during his on-court interview postgame that Hartenstein has "been really good for us."

In truth, Isaiah Hartenstein has been a revelation in many facets for this Thunder team since being medically cleared to return from his fractured left hand, showing off his versatility and difference-making abilities in the rebounding game, defensive department, and as a criminally underrated distributor

In two games so far, he finds himself posting impressive averages of 15.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 blocks while shooting 54.0 percent from the field.

However, it's evident that one of Hartenstein's best and most appreciated contributions to this Oklahoma City team has been one that has not managed to make its way onto the stat sheet.

Fortunately, his teammates and coaching staff don't need to look at the box score to know just how special his addition has already proven itself to be.