A Historic German Moment: NBA Finals Arrive with a German Star
Title: NBA Championship has been determined
Get ready for an exciting NBA Finals showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers!ISO, a German-born baller, is all set to make history as the second German after Dirk Nowitzki to potentially win the NBA title.
In an electrifying game six, the Pacers, led by top scorer Pascal Siakam's 31 points and Tyrese Haliburton's impressive 21 points and 13 assists, secured a 125:108 win over the New York Knicks, clinching their spot in the final series.
The Pacers last stepped into the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. The first game of this rematch takes place on Thursday in Oklahoma City.
In an interview, Haliburton shared his experience of last year's near-miss, "We were in the same position last year and didn't make it. So, we've worked our asses off as a team to get back here."
Coach Rick Carlisle, known for his victory with the Dallas Mavericks 14 years ago, acknowledged the enormity of the challenge, "It's not the time to pop the champagne. At this point in the season, two teams are facing off with the same goal. It's do or die."
The Thunder finished the regular season as the league's best team, with an impressive 68 wins out of 82 games. The Pacers, the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, lost only four games in the playoffs, just like their final opponent.
Fun Fact: Isaiah Hartenstein, the German player on the Thunder team, has quite the résumé. He's played for several teams before joining the Thunder, including the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Clippers. His major achievement is making it to the NBA Finals with the Thunder in 2025[1]. On the personal front, he is married to Kourtney Kellar, whom he met in 2019. They welcomed their first child, a baby boy, in May 2024[2].
Prepare for an action-packed NBA Finals, with the potential of ahistory-making win for a German player!
Sources: ntv.de, tno/sid
- NBA
- Basketball Playoffs
[1] NBA.com, "Isaiah Hartenstein Career Stats," Link[2] People.com, "Isaiah Hartenstein and Wife Kourtney Kellar Welcome First Child," Link[5] TheCarmeloAnthony.com, "Isaiah Hartenstein Biography," Link
The NBA Playoffs witness the thrilling basketball clash between teams, as seen in the historic matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. Isaiah Hartenstein, a German basketball player, could add another chapter to the German basketball story if he manages to win the NBA title, joining Dirk Nowitzki as a potential German NBA champion.
