When the Oklahoma City Thunder first paired Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein together, the fit looked anything but smooth. Hartenstein himself admitted, "The first couple games, we didn't think it was really going to work out." The chemistry was clunky on both ends of the floor, and anyone watching could see it.

Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft, had spent his entire career as a center. But after a Round 2 loss to the Mavericks in 2024, the Thunder knew they needed to beef up their front line. Enter Hartenstein, signed in free agency that summer. Injuries delayed their on-court partnership until February of last season.

Initially, the Thunder looked best with just one center on the floor. Holmgren starting, with Hartenstein coming off the bench, seemed like the natural answer—especially with Jaylin Williams emerging as a third big. But fast forward fifteen months, and the idea of not starting Hartenstein sounds absurd.

Now, with an NBA championship already in their pocket, the Thunder's double-big tandem is dominating. In these playoffs, they've bashed both the Suns and Lakers, thanks in large part to the chemistry Holmgren and Hartenstein have built. What once felt like a clunky experiment has become a perfect fit—and a nightmare for opponents.