Second-year center Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high 16 rebounds on Saturday, but the Rockets might not have been surprised by that. He had shown them an ability and determination to get to the boards. The key for Hartenstein has been to defend well enough without fouling to earn the kind of playing time, 31 minutes, he got on Saturday with starter Clint Capela out.
“He is relentless,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said of Hartenstein’s rebounding. He needs to get his balance straight (defensively) a little bit, but that will come. He still is just … 21. So, he’s young.