After a spectacular series opener in the 2026 Western Conference Finals, Game 2 featured numerous twists and turns, including injuries to key players such as All-Star Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and sensational rookie Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs.
However, the biggest talking point from the 122-113 Thunder win was the physical defense OKC center Isaiah Hartenstein played on Spurs megastar Victor Wembanyama. While Wemby still put up 21 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four blocks, it was clear that he couldn’t get going with Hartenstein bumping and holding him every chance he could.
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Naturally, Thunder fans and hoops observers were up in arms about how the referees allowed Hartenstein to get away with so many uncalled fouls. However, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley responded to all the criticism, saying there was nothing unique about what Hartenstein did; it was just good old-fashioned playoff basketball.
Nothing excessive
After Wembanyama’s Game 1 brilliance, in which he poured in 41 points and 24 rebounds to lead the Spurs to a 122-115 win, which stole home court advantage away from the Thunder, the reigning champs had to make an adjustment or risk going down 2-0 to a team that didn’t even have its starting point guard.
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The biggest change was Hartenstein’s presence. After playing just 12 minutes and 10 seconds in Game 1, the versatile 7-footer had a more prominent role in Game 2, playing 27 minutes and 21 seconds and delivering 10 points, 13 rebounds and three assists.
But more than the stats, it was his relentless activity on the defensive end that made the difference, as it kept Wemby from getting to his sweet spots and forced him to expend more energy to get buckets.
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“You people at home and on TV talking about they were physical with Victor Wembanyama, man — y’all need to stop it,”Barkley declared. “I’ve been kissed harder.”
“Was he physical putting a body on him? Sure. But come on. That little stuff Isaiah Hartenstein was doing? I love Hartenstein, but he was just putting a body on Wemby. It wasn’t overly aggressive. There were no excessive fouls,” Chuck continued. “So, for you people thinking that’s physicality, y’all need to shut the hell up.”
Hartenstein was the difference
Despite playing in his third season, Wemby has become so good that there’s little any team or player can do to slow him down. As such, the smallest details can make all the difference. This is where Hartenstein came in and did his job.
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In Game 1, Wembanyama feasted on the offensive glass, grabbing nine as the Spurs won that category, 15-9. In Game 2, with Hartenstein doing all he could to stop Wemby from getting as close to the basket, the latter grabbed just five offensive rebounds. In turn, the Thunder won the battle of the offensive boards 17-16.
Another telling factor was the quality of shots that Wembanyama got in Game 2. After shooting 13 free throws in Game 1, he was held to just two in Game 2. In addition, he took seven triples. Although he made three of them, it showed how much he had settled in Game 2 compared to how relentless he was in attacking the paint in Game 1 with Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso as his primary defenders.
With Game 3 looming, Hartenstein’s effectiveness will largely come down to how tightly the refs will call the game. If they blow their whistles early and often, Hartenstein could be rendered unplayable. However, if this type of physicality continues to be allowed, then Wemby could be in for a much tougher series.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.