Josh Hart takes hilarious shot at Isaiah Hartenstein ahead of Knicks' Thunder clash
01/02/2025 01:24 AM
On Friday night, the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder will be squaring off in what should be one of the most exciting games of the regular season. The Knicks have been hitting their stride as of late, winning their past nine games including their 119-103 win over the Utah Jazz on New Year’s Day, but there is no question that the Thunder are the hottest team in the association, having gone 16-1 over their past 17 games — with their lone loss coming against the Houston Rockets.
One winning streak has to give; nonetheless, there is no reason for both the Knicks and the Thunder to doubt themselves considering how excellently they’ve been performing over the past few weeks. And for Josh Hart, who cannot ever pass up a chance to be a comedian, he sees attacking Isaiah Hartenstein as the blueprint for their success, especially when he’s already secured his bag with Oklahoma City.
“This will be a good test. The big man (Isaiah Hartenstein) got paid this summer, so he should be a little slow on his feet and slow trying to protect the rim. We should be able to go at him,” Hart told reporters following the Knicks’ win over the Jazz, via SNY’s Knicks Videos on X (formerly Twitter).
Hart, however, wasn’t content to make fun of his former Knicks teammate during his locker room interview. He went and doubled down on his official account on X, saying that Hartenstein should be very exploitable on defense now that the money bags have made his feet that much heavier.
“Pockets got fatter so hes a little slower ,” Hart wrote.
This, of course, is all in jest; Knicks fans miss Hartenstein and his tenacity on the glass and on the defensive end, not to mention his playmaking. And the Thunder have gone 16-1 since getting Hartenstein back from injury, showing how much of a game-changer he truly can be.
Isaiah Hartenstein builds off successful Knicks stint to earn bag with the Thunder
Isaiah Hartenstein has done nothing but improve ever since latching on with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2021-22 season. With the Knicks, he became one of their most crucial pieces over the past two seasons, as he provided more on both ends of the floor than Mitchell Robinson did.
Now, Hartenstein has become far and away one of the most impactful centers in the league, giving the Thunder the perfect defensive anchor to rely on amid Chet Holmgren’s injury. Oklahoma City is already the most frightening defensive team in the league without Holmgren, so one can only imagine how deadly they’ll be once he recovers from his hip injury.
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