No Foul After Isaiah Hartenstein Yanked Stephon Castle’s Hair in Game 2 Angers Fans – “Get Away With Murder”

Stephon Castle did not get a foul despite Isaiah Hartenstein pulling him down by his hair.

No Foul After Isaiah Hartenstein Yanked Stephon Castle’s Hair in Game 2 Angers Fans – “Get Away With Murder”

Isaiah Hartenstein and Stephon Castle (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Isaiah Hartenstein faced backlash for pulling Stephon Castle's hair during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
  • The Oklahoma City Thunder won the game 122-113, leveling the series at 1-1.
  • Fans criticized the officiating, claiming Hartenstein should have been ejected for his actions.

Things got really heated in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs when Isaiah Hartenstein got away with a dirty play on Stephon Castle. Both teams are already trading heavy blows in a series that was expected to be physical.

After a disappointing loss in Game 1, the Thunder bounced back strongly in a must-win game and recorded a 122-113 victory over the Spurs at the Paycom Center on Wednesday night. The win helped the defending champions to level the series at 1-1.

While the game had everything, the real drama and talking point came when Hartenstein grabbed Castle by the hair and pulled him down to the hardwood. The shocking part was that he received no whistle for the questionable play, and the game continued.

There has been a lot of criticism of the officiating in the playoffs this year. During the Western Conference Semifinals between the Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers, the referees were under the scanner multiple times during the series. Lakers players, including LeBron James, even went on to confront the officials.

Many coaches and players have been critical of calls going in the Thunder’s favor more often than not. They have accused the Thunder of getting away with their very physical plays and getting calls in their favor too easily.

However, it is still very surprising to see Isaiah Hartenstein get away with his dirty place on Stephon Castle. The series is getting more and more heated with every passing game.

The physicality has been very intense between the two best defensive sides in the league. The Thunder were undoubtedly the best defensive team throughout the regular season, while the Spurs have the best defensive rating so far in the playoffs.

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Fans were left stunned after Isaiah Hartenstein’s ugly hair pull on Stephon Castle

This is not the first time that the Thunder have gotten away with such a play, and it is very likely that it won’t be the last. If reviewed, there was a high chance that it would be called for a flagrant foul.

With the video of Isaiah Hartenstein’s ugly play on Stephon Castle going viral, fans were left furious and blasted the officials across social media.

Fans were in disbelief at the poor officiating. Many believed that Hartenstein should have been ejected after what he had done. Regardless of any reason, the big man has definitely crossed the line, as this could have led to injury.

Mark Daigneault had high praise for Isaiah Hartenstein

The adjustment made by Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault after Game 1 worked very well in Game 2. After playing the German for just 12 minutes in Game 1, Daigneault had to use his traditional center a lot more. He was well rewarded for the change as Hartenstein recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Isaiah Hartenstein defending Victor Wembanyama
Isaiah Hartenstein guarding Victor Wembanyama (Image credits – Basket-Infos/X)

After the win, Daigneault broke down what Isaiah Hartenstein brought to the Thunder in Game 2.

If you listed all the skills you wanted from a modern center, true center, he checks every box. That’s why I love him. And the other thing I love about him is I played him 12 minutes and he doesn’t bat an eye. Turns around tonight and played a great game.

Mark Daigneault in his post-match press conference

Not only did the center record a double-double, but he also played some very tight defense on Victor Wembanyama. The French star was restricted to just 21 points on Wednesday. While Hartenstein did have some questionable plays throughout the game, it worked out in his favor in the end.

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