The Thunder bounced back after a crushing Game 1 loss to even the Western Conference finals series with a 122-113 win over the Spurs on Wednesday. Newly minted two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an inefficient night to open the series after a long layoff, but he was back to his usual self in Game 2 with 30 points and nine assists.
To hold off San Antonio, Oklahoma City needs to do everything humanly possible to limit the giant that is Victor Wembanyama on both sides of the ball. He had a signature performance in the double-overtime thriller in Game 1 with 41 points and 24 rebounds. In Wednesday’s Game 2, he still produced, with 21 points and 17 rebounds, but he took nine fewer shots than he did on Monday—albeit in 10 fewer minutes of game time.
Wemby’s limited production was in big part due to Thunder coach Mark Daigneault’s clear adjustment to have big man Isaiah Hartenstein be more physical with the 7’4” phenom. Hartenstein played just 12 minutes in Game 1 but saw that number blow up to 27 on Wednesday. Although he was whistled for four fouls, the approach was intentional as Daigneault sought to make Wemby’s easy buckets near the rim much more difficult.
In Game 1, defensive whiz Alex Caruso ended up with the primary assignment of defending the Spurs’ superstar in the latter half of the game. Although he did an admirable job, the significant size advantage in favor of Wembanyama was something Daigneault knew had to change.
“Two things that just didn’t feel good were (Wembanyama’s) stuff at the rim just felt too sustainable, and so we had to make some corrections there,” the Thunder coach said after the Game 2 win. “It won’t be the last time we have a wing on him; we had wings on him a couple possessions tonight. And then the other thing that doesn’t feel good is playing [Hartenstein] 12 minutes. It just didn’t feel good to me. But in order to get him extended past that, that’s the matchup. We decided to start with it. It’s never going to be predetermined that we do that the whole game.”
Alongside Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring (30 points) and the production provided by the Thunder bench, Hartenstein’s effort on Wembanyama on both ends of the court had a huge impact on the result. He might have even got away with some extra physicality as he worked to moved Wembanyama out of the paint to create scoring lanes for his teammates.
After the smart tactical adjustment seemed to pay off in the result, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about Hartenstein’s defense after the game, to which he gave a strange response.
“Um, I’m not sure if it was good to be honest,” he said on the NBC broadcast after the win. He was asked to expand on that thought and quickly rebuffed by saying, “It was all right. It was good, it was good.”
SGA when asked what impact putting Isaiah Hartenstein on Wemby had tonight:
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 21, 2026
“I’m not sure if it was good to be honest… it was alright. It was good. It was good.” pic.twitter.com/1visBU5bot
Certainly an awkward exchange which he was bound to be asked about again. He got an opportunity to set the record straight and expand even further in his postgame press conference, and Gilgeous-Alexander said it was all a misunderstanding, as he couldn’t hear the question through the chaos inside the Paycom Center.
“I didn’t really hear her. And then once I realized what she said, I gave her the right answer,” he said from the postgame podium. “Yeah, at first I heard it wrong what she said.”
Shai:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 21, 2026
"I didn't really hear her. And then once I realized what she said, I gave her the right answer. I heard it wrong what she said" https://t.co/Vi1D3LsD2h pic.twitter.com/R2jtdXpJhT
So all is well, as Gilgeous-Alexander definitely shared the prevailing sentiment that Hartenstein did a great job on Wembanyama defensively to help the Thunder even the series at a game apiece.
The numbers show Isaiah Hartenstein’s defensive impact on Victor Wembanyama
Sports Illustrated’s Ryan Phillips did a deep dive on Hartenstein’s impact on Wembanyama and subsequently the game as a whole. Here’s a look at how the Thunder big man limited the Spurs’ superstar when Oklahoma City needed it most:
- Wembanyama was held to just two free-throw attempts in Game 2 compared to 13 in Game 1.
- Wembanyama took just five shots from the paint Wednesday after he dominated down low with the size advantage in Game 1.
- Hartenstein limited Wembanyama to five offensive rebounds after he had nine off the offensive glass in Game 1.
- And most notably, Hartenstein was far more involved in the Thunder’s game plan for Game 2, with 27 minutes compared to just 12 from the previous game.
The Thunder center certainly got away with some pushing and shoving that he may not get the benefit of as the series moves along, but there’s no question that he had a huge impact on Oklahoma City’s win. And despite the odd postgame moment, Gilgeous-Alexander seems to knows that, too.
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