Thunder's Win Matches Former Knicks in WCF

The path to the NBA Finals is paved by former and present New York Knicks alike.

The current Knicks, of course, are prepping for their first Eastern Conference Final in a quarter-century against the Indiana Pacers, a team that features ex-metropolitan draft savior Obi Toppin in a vital reserve's role.

On the other side of the bracket, former fan favorite New Yorkers Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein will square off in the Western Conference edition, respectively repping the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder's starting lineups. Donte DiVincenzo also joins Randle as a Minnesota reserve after the two were the headlining exports of the trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to Manhattan.

Hartenstein and the Thunder secured their spot on Sunday with a 125-93 demolition of the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of their conference semifinal set. While the center took on a somewhat muted role as the Thunder inched away from a larger lineup, he the most of his time with 10 points and seven rebounds with 17 minutes.

Hartenstein has fulfilled the expectations Oklahoma City has placed upon him since he moved from Manhattan over the offseason. Through two rounds of this postseason, he's third in total offensive rebounds (a stat he led in last year's showing with the Knicks until the NBA Finals) and fourth in defensive rating among qualified participants.

"He's doing an amazing job," conference semifinal opponent Nikola Jokic said of Hartenstein, per Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. "He's always where he needs to be. He's attacking the offensive glass. He's setting great screens to open guys up. He has a really good touch or floater. ... I think he developed himself into a really good player."

Minnesota and Oklahoma City are doing postseason battle for the first time since 1998's opening round, when the Timberwolves fell to what was then the Seattle SuperSonics. The Thunder is seeking its first NBA Finals showing since 2012 while Wolves will go for their first.