Isaiah Hartenstein speaks on stepping up for OKC with defending Victor Wembanyama

Isaiah Hartenstein suddenly became one of the most important players on the court for the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2. While he did start Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs, Hartenstein played only 12 minutes because Victor Wembanyama dominated him in a legendary 41-point, 24-rebound performance.

Hartenstein made sure to bounce back in Game 2, and he did well in his 27 minutes. He was a nuisance all night, as he was physical with Wembanyama while also making plays on defense and on the boards. Hartenstein finished the game with a 10-point and 13-rebound double-double, a huge uptick from the quiet Game 1.

Isaiah Hartenstein gets honest about his role when playing against Victor Wembanyama

As the starting center for the Thunder, Hartenstein is tasked with doing the dirty work in the paint. He loves getting offensive rebounds and making the underrated plays with his screens and connective passing. While he is superb in those areas, Hartenstein was most present with his physicality in Game 2.

Wembanyama had a tougher game this time around because he was dealing with Hartenstein's physicality. While the Spurs' superstar still had a good performance, it was not as impactful as Game 1 when he fully dominated the game.

MORE: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets candid about his thoughts on Isaiah Hartenstein's performance

Hartenstein was a bit distraught after Game 1 because he lost a lot of minutes. Thankfully for him, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault made sure to talk to him and clear up all the potential issues they might face. Hartenstein did well to adjust because he was one of the most impactful players in Game 2.

"When you play a team sport, you have to really put your ego aside, and I trust Mark's decisions a lot. He does a great job of communicating before, what kind of role you're gonna be. Going into Game 1, I kinda knew what was going to be, then yesterday, he sat me down, and told me just be ready," Hartenstein said after Game 2 of the WCF vs the Spurs.

"Your number will be called more, and we will try to do something different... Just coming out there and being more physical, making sure he doesn't get easy rim finishes. He's a great player, so he will get to that. Just making it as hard as possible."

With his physicality in Game 2, he did have some murky moments, including when he pulled Stephon Castle's hair. That was not a good look for him, but he will continue to play his physical brand of basketball until the referees punish him. He managed to maximize the four fouls he was called for in Game 2.

More NBA news:

• Why Jalen Williams did not play the rest of Game 2 after the first quarter
• Isaiah Hartenstein is under fire for pulling Stephon Castle's hair in Game 2
• The remaining schedule for the Spurs vs Thunder Western Conference Finals
• The full box score from Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Thunder
• Diving into Stephon Castle's historic struggles in the Western Conference Finals