Knicks’ Isaiah Hartenstein Is Playing Like A Top Center In NBA

When the New York Knicks lost starting center Mitchell Robinson to an ankle injury in early December, their biggest advantage over opponents in the NBA was gone. Robinson was hitting the offensive glass at a rate higher than some teams in the league and was the anchor of their defense. Without him, things were ugly for a little while.

In December, their production on defense cratered. The Knicks were near the bottom of the NBA in points allowed and defensive rating as life without Robinson was tough to navigate. However, they have received elite production from Isaiah Hartenstein in recent games to help get back on track.

Hartenstein isn’t the same kind of player Robinson is, but an argument can be made that the Knicks are better with him in the starting lineup. The team’s rebounding rates have not fallen off, as Hartenstein is one of the top offensive rebounders in the NBA.

A threat with the ball in his hands, things have opened up on that end of the court with Hartenstein in the mix. He has some moves in the low post to score the basketball and is an elite playmaker for a center. 

Too often opponents were able to ignore Robinson on offense, turning possessions into 5 on 4, but that is not the case with Hartenstein. If you leave him open he can knock down jumpers and has a solid push shot from inside the paint. Sagging off of him also opens the passing lanes for him to exploit and find his teammates cutting to the basket.

Defensively, his impact has been felt as well. Hartenstein is an excellent rim protector, erasing shots in the paint with regularity. While not as long or athletic as Robinson, he is still causing chaos in the passing lanes, creating steals and turnovers.

In January, Hartenstein has been playing as one of the best centers in the NBA. He is averaging 9.6 points, 14.7 rebounds (4.4 offensive rebounds per game), 2.1 steals and 2.4 blocks in 36.1 minutes per game. His efficiency on offense has been elite as well, making 72.2 percent of his shots and 71.4 percent of his free throws for a true shooting percentage of 74 percent.