Will the real Isaiah Hartenstein please stand up?
The Oklahoma City Thunder big man’s minutes have taken a precipitous drop during the NBA Finals, something many people didn’t expect. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault replaced Hartenstein in the starting lineup with Cason Wallace in Game 1. He’s also opted to give more minutes to Alex Caruso off the bench instead of riding the big German.
Have those decisions contributed to the Thunder being down 2-1 in the series?
Hmmm.
I do find it interesting that Oklahoma City, the prohibitive $7 favorite before the championship round, has essentially adjusted to Indiana’s style of play over the first three games. Remember, Daigneault rode the Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren combo to 68 regular-season wins and the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA Playoffs.
Something’s gotta give, right?
Sportsbooks are certainly paying close attention to the Thunder rotations and adjustments to Hartenstein’s props have already been made. I just think it’s gone too far.
Isaiah Hartenstein’s Game 5 point props:
O 5.5 -130 — BetRivers
O 5.5 -138 — FanDuel
O 6.5 +100 — DraftKings
O 6.5 +105 — Caesars
O 6.5 +110 — BetMGM
This is a player who averaged 11.5 points per game during the regular season and was routinely priced in the O/U 8.5 range early in the playoffs.
It’s not like he’s hurt, either.
“We have one of the best coaches in the league, and we trust whatever choices he makes,” Hartenstein told reporters last week. “With a winning team, if you want to win a championship, there’s going to be sacrifices. That’s what I’m ready to do.”
I love that quote, but give me a break.
You have to imagine Hartenstein is champing at the bit to get assimilated into the rotation again, and I’m more than willing to buy the dip on a talented player making a few buckets. His floater game and footwork around the rim would add a much-needed element for Oklahoma City as the Thunder aim to even this series at two games a piece.
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Let’s get seven points from Hartenstein in Game 4.
PICK: Hartenstein (+110) Over 6.5 points in Game 4
Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and the BetMGM Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.
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