The manner Serge won is on the other end of the spectrum. He never departed via free agency from any team. In each scenario, he was traded. Now he is a member of the best team in the NBA and a league champion. Having a championship behind his name does not make Ibaka a better player than Russ or the Beard, but it does shed light on how it takes a team to win, not flashy individuals.
The entire team at Thunderous Intentions congratulates Serge, he was always a fan favorite in Oklahoma City, although he has been gone for multiple years he will always be an honorary member of the OKC Thunder. Want your voice heard? Join the Thunderous Intentions team! Write for us! More from Thunder News. Next: If they had kept Thunder together just imagine what they could've been. More Nylon Calculus ». View all NBA Sites.
Watch the latest video. View All. View Serge's stats at NBA. Starting all 66 games last year, Ibaka shot The organization wanted to bring Ibaka back slower, but he felt good and came out of the scrimmage with no pain. The last news we heard was that Ibaka would likely sit out Opening Night, but there's certainly some potential for that news to change now. Ibaka back has progressed to playing 3-on-3 but doesn't expect to be available for Opening Night on Oct. The big man has been recovering from back surgery and continues to make tangible progress in training camp.
While he'll probably be out for the team's opener, it doesn't sound like he's too far off from a return. With Kawhi Leonard knee out for most, if not all, of the season, Ibaka could take on a bigger role than last year if he's feeling healthy.
With his shooting ability, he has the potential to play some power forward against bigger lineups. Ibaka continues to make solid progress after undergoing offseason back surgery. While he won't make his preseason debut Monday evening against the Nuggets, it's not out of the question for the veteran center to get some run during the preseason.
Ibaka's status will be worth monitoring heading into the regular season. Player Home Game Log. Game Preview. Full Standings.
Points Per Game. Field Goal Percentage. Rebounds Per Game. Assists Per Game. Small forward Perry Jones hasn't shown much in his first two years in the league. That means more touches for Ibaka, as the team tries to lighten the scoring load on Westbrook's shoulders. For the first time in his career, Ibaka gets to be the No. According to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman , Durant isn't going to rush himself back from foot surgery.
Here's another factor that may work in Ibaka's favor. Let's say Durant comes back on time and plays well enough to earn an All-Star nod. Why would he waste a chance to rest his surgically-repaired foot by playing in an exhibition game of zero consequence?
Why wouldn't he opt to sit out, so that another spot can open up for his teammate that helped carry the water while Durant was out? Isn't being healthy for a playoff run more important than catching lob passes in a glorified pickup game?
Regardless, the stage is set for Ibaka to have a strong first half. Even if Duncan or Cousins fills Love's spot, there's still a good chance that Ibaka beats out an aging player like Nowitzki or fills in for the injured Durant. With injuries to Durant and Morrow, the Thunder's best healthy 3-point shooter is Serge Ibaka, who hit Ibaka shot He went 3-for-6 from deep in the three games he played in the preseason. He's one of the best midrange shooters, and I thought last year he even showed that he's going to make corner threes," Brooks said.
I think as his game continues to evolve, he's going to be able to do that more.
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