During the 2022 offseason, Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein both joined the New York Knicks together. Brunson was coming off a career year with the Dallas Mavericks while Hartenstein had a strong season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Twenty-one games into his tenure with Oklahoma City, Isaiah has adapted. Still, playing at Madison Square Garden for the first time since Hartenstein signed a three-year deal, $87 million contract with the Thunder, the venue Isaiah called home for two seasons, is unique.

Friday night marked Isaiah Hartenstein’s first time back at The Garden since leaving the Knicks this offseason, and the hometown crowd was sure to give him a warm welcome.

But with Hartenstein, the Knicks were limited to offering a max of four years, $72.5 million. The Thunder gave up three years, $87 million. The reason for New York’s restrictions was it originally signed Hartenstein to a two-year deal, so operated with only his partial Bird Rights. Oklahoma City signed him using straight cap space.

The last time the Knicks were down by 27 points at the half was Dec. 19, 2019, a game in Milwaukee that dropped them to 4-17. One more blowout loss later, coach David Fizdale was fired, a step toward the total makeover of the organization.

The Knicks brought a nine-game winning streak into Friday night's game against Isaiah Hartenstein's Thunder and Oklahoma City had won 13 in a row.

Jalen Brunson had 27 points and five assists. He shot 12-of-12 from the free-throw line. Karl-Anthony Towns turned in a 23-point and 10-rebound double-double. Josh Hart had a 16-point and 10-rebound double-double.

Isaiah Hartenstein believes Mitchell should be in the Rookie of the Year race. He vouched for him after the Thunder's win over the New York Knicks. He tagged that along with his belief Jalen Williams should be an All-Star player.

The New York Knicks face the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, making it Isaiah Hartenstein's return to MSG. Brandon London and Jonathan Macri talk about how the Knicks can contain Shai

Hartenstein missed the first 15 games of the season. Holmgren went down in Game 10 and hasn’t returned. So Daigneault has been unable to experiment with his own twin-tower alignment.