Isaiah Hartenstein is not listed on the injury report for Thursday's game against the Lakers and is set to return to action after sitting out Monday's overtime win over Detroit.
His absence Monday was tied to soleus injury management, but the Thunder will have him back for a matchup that comes quickly after the team needed him only a few days ago. Over his last five outings, Hartenstein has averaged 7.4 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 23.4 minutes per contest, production that has given Oklahoma City steady work on the glass and in the middle of the floor.
Read Also: Thunder Vs Lakers: LeBron James out Tuesday as injury worries grow
That recent stretch is the clearest reason his return matters now. The Thunder are getting back a player who has been active on the boards and around the ball, and they do it with no injury designation attached to Thursday's game. The only uncertainty left is how much run he gets after the brief management pause, but the path back onto the floor is already set.
