Clippers beat writer Law Murray of The Athletic reports that Ibaka has had a close contact test positive, which prompted the Clippers to test him, which came back negative. which the result came back negative
Ibaka would have been able to sit with his teammates during the game. However, Ibaka remains away from the Clippers while his teammates are in Utah due to COVID-19 protocols.

A source tells @TheAthletic that Serge Ibaka was a close contact yesterday and had to test right at gametime.

That is why he did not enter the bench area last night until later in the first quarter. Ibaka tested negative but is out for start of trip due to protocols.

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 15, 2021

Since returning to the Clippers, after spending time in G League working on his conditioning, Ibaka’s minutes have decreased, seeing him fall out of the rotation behind Isaiah Hartenstein and Ivan Zubac.

Ibaka has subsequently received multiple DNPs. Clippers Coach Tyrone Lue was shuffling lineups. He’s shared his frustration by liking a tweet about being traded.

The Clippers are currently dealing with injuries to a string of their star players, including Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Nicolas Batum.

The post Serge Ibaka Enters Health and Safety Protocol appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka will fill a hole in Los Angeles’ frontcourt left by the departure of Montrezl Harrell, who left to join the Lakers. Ibaka averaged 15.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while shooting .385 from beyond the arc in 2019-20.

Ibaka will sign a two-year deal worth $19 million, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. It’s very possible that the Raptors could have offered more than that but perhaps only on a one-year term given their hopes of preserving cap space for the 2021 offseason.

Ibaka’s deal with L.A. will also include a player option, Wojnarowski adds.

Ibaka, 31, spent the past three and a half seasons with the Raptors but will now join former Raps teammate Kawhi Leonard on the west coast. The two have chemistry on and off the court.

The post Serge Ibaka, Clippers Agree to Deal appeared first on SLAM.

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 227 FEATURING THE RAPTORS

—

There is classical music blasting through the hallway that runs parallel to the baseline at the OVO Athletic Centre in Toronto.    

A whole lot of it. 

On this brisk and snowy weekday morning in late February, the Raptors players are scattered throughout the state-of-the-art practice facility. Practice is slated to start soon and some of the players are out on the hardwood stretching. Others are already getting some shots up while a couple of them are still in the locker room area.  

As the team gets ready to start, SLAM’s staff is simultaneously doing a location scouting walk-thru to prep for our cover shoot after practice. Between wheeling in equipment and figuring out the exact shooting location, we end up being led down a hallway, past a row of offices. It is there where we hear Beethoven’s greatest hits album being played loudly. We think nothing of the classical music at first, other than it’s much louder than you’d expect it to be at an NBA practice facility minutes before the start of practice.

But, hey, we’ve seen and heard weirder stuff on set at shoots. 

Then, all of the sudden, the music stops. And then it restarts for a few seconds before stopping and picking up where it left off once again. 

Turns out there isn’t a vinyl record playing inside someone’s office. Someone’s actually playing the keyboard. And after a quick glance around the hallway, we realize it’s coming from the office that says “Nick Nurse” in front of it. Wearing a black hat and sitting adjacent to his desk while facing the wall, the Raptors head coach is jamming away on the piano. 

No cap, he’s actually good. 

Last summer, just days after defeating the Golden State Warriors and subsequently leading the Raptors to their historic first ever NBA championship, Nurse joined Canadian rock band Arkells on stage during a concert in Toronto. He played the guitar with them that night, and so clearly has a thing for music.

Nurse playing piano right before practice while the guys are warming up is so fitting and perfectly reflective of where the Toronto Raptors stand in the post-Kawhi Leonard era—confident, and looking to broaden and strengthen an already impressive arsenal. 

Life is good in the 6ix.

—

When the annual preseason GM survey was released last fall, the Raptors were picked to finish fourth in the East (they were actually tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the fourth seed). Disrespectful for a team that was fresh off an NBA championship and bringing back most of its core? Or fair considering that the squad had just lost their Finals MVP to the Clippers? Are they actually better off being slept on once again? 

When we bring up the very same questions during our shoot, the guys point out that they had no idea about the GM survey.

“I didn’t see that,” Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka say in unison. They sort of shrug at whether the preseason projection was a good or bad thing. It was irrelevant.

What they did see and vividly remember, though, is all the memes, jokes and tweets that followed in the aftermath of Leonard’s decision to leave the Raptors last summer. Lots of them had one common sentiment—the team was no longer even playoff-caliber, they foolishly said.

Yet, here they are on set at the cover shoot for our NBA Playoff preview issue. It’s late February and the Raptors are sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.      

“I just think, overall, the stuff that came out about us not even being a playoff team, we laughed at that,” says VanVleet. “Other than that, we don’t really care.” 

Ibaka quickly jumps in: “The one that surprised me [was] when they said we’re not even going to make the playoffs. To me, that was kind of funny. We [use] that as a motivation as a team. But we don’t really try to worry about those things.”  

Regardless of the final outcome, the team has already accomplished some historic feats this season. They went on a 15-game winning streak, going a full month without losing a game. The streak not only marked the longest winning stretch in franchise history, but was also the longest winning streak by a Canadian-based franchise in the NBA, MLB, NHL or CFL.

The margin of victory during that stretch was a convincing 10.6 points (including 29-point and 27-point victories), while only two games were decided by a single possession. Even more impressive was the fact that the team went on that historic run despite many of its core players missing games during that same stretch due to injuries. Four of the team’s six players averaging double-digit points this season missed games during that period—Norman Powell missed five of them with a broken hand, VanVleet missed a couple, and Kyle Lowry and Ibaka missed one game each.     

While the historic streak gave local fans a lot to be excited about and definitely made those who swore the team had no shot at making the playoffs look silly, the players have a different perspective. 

“You want the real truth? [It meant] nothing!” says Lowry of the streak. “We hoop to hoop—to win every game. It didn’t mean nothing to us.

“You know what the goal is. That’s all that matters. We always know what the goal is. Now we’ve gotten there and we know what to do. We know what it takes. It’s never going to be easier. It’s going to be harder. But we know what it is and that’s what we want.”

For Lowry, this season marks his eighth year in Toronto. He’s the second oldest player on the team behind Marc Gasol, but the longest-tenured. As he sits next to his teammates while being filmed for the latest episode of our “Point ’Em Out” video series after the cover shoot [see above], the 6-0 guard notes that he’s seen every single player in the group get drafted by the Raptors over the past few years with the exception of Ibaka (Gasol had to dip after the photo shoot and therefore wasn’t around for this portion). He emphasizes that he’s witnessed the development of the team’s core first-hand.

“I think the team is just different because of OG’s growth, Fred’s growth, Norm’s growth, Serge—he’s gotten better throughout the years, and since he’s been here, he’s changed his game and adapted with us,” says Lowry, who had his Villanova jersey retired in Philadelphia the night before our shoot. “We all know about Pascal and what he’s done. I would just say the growth, maturity and the confidence of what they know they could do is the thing that’s different. We have a good mixture—I’m [one of] the oldest guys on the team and OG is one of the youngest guys on the team, but we all get together, we all can hang out, we can talk smack, we all can have fun with each other. We have a good mix of not being able to take things so serious. We know what our end goal is. We want them championships and we want everybody to be able to take care of their families.” 

The next oldest player on the squad, Ibaka, is actually posting career-best numbers this season. The 30-year-old is averaging 16.0 points (a career-high) and 8.3 rebounds per game as we head to press, while playing the third fewest minutes in his 11-year career. Despite no longer being the full-time starter he once was—he’s started in about half of the games he’s played this season—Ibaka seems as comfortable as ever. 

“Every year has been different for me. But being here, to me, really helped my game a lot. The way they play here really fits my style. The guys here, we don’t really have any egos. To me, it just motivates me. When I was watching my teammates play, the way they played, I was like, Man, if I work my game this way, it’s going to help me because the way our guys play [makes it] easy,” says the Republic of the Congo native. “I feel like 11 years I’ve been playing in the League—this is my first time I feel like I’m playing the way I want to. I used to be the kind of player where I had to play the way the system wants me to play. But since I got here, the way we play—the trust they give me—it forced me to work on my game in different ways. It’s been fun. It doesn’t feel like it was 11 years because I feel like it just started because of the joy of playing with those guys.” 

You can go down the roster list and notice how seamlessly players have adjusted to their new roles this season. VanVleet is now a full-time starter in the backcourt, averaging over 17 points and 6 assists per game, after a dominant postseason run last year. He’s a constant reminder of how gritty and fearless this team really is. In an era where many teams now run with big guards, the Raptors backcourt is occupied by two guys who barely even measure at 6-0. 

“You know Fred Van-De-le? You know him?” says Ibaka, purposely enunciating VanVleet’s name differently and drawing laughter from his teammates. “That’s a dog out there! Big Dog! He’s short but that’s Big Dog. He’s Big Dog Freddy. Can get a bucket anytime he wants—he don’t care what’s your size, he’s going to drive to you, hit your shoulder and bucket!” 

Then there’s Siakam, who just one year after claiming the Most Improved Player award is now a full-blown NBA All-Star. He’s averaging a team-best 23.6 points as of early March.

Another player who saw his role change completely this season is OG Anunoby. He became Leonard’s replacement as the new starting small forward. With big shoes to fill, the former Indiana standout has become the most important defender on the squad and is in charge of guarding opponents’ best perimeter players. Two to four, he can be matched up at different spots in the lineup. As we head to the printer, Anunoby is fresh off a then career-high 6 steals against the Hornets, which he followed up with a career-high of 32 points and a new career-high of 7 steals the very next game against the Nuggets. 

Gasol, the oldest player on the team at age 35, continues his steadily productive numbers as the starting center. Meanwhile, Powell has been a strong off-the-bench force for Toronto and has even stepped up and started a bunch of games this season because of injuries to the first unit. During one stretch, he finished with 20 or more points in eight out of nine games and is averaging over 16 points per game as of early March.

“I feel like every year we were doubted and left out, and every year we continue to change the view and prove people wrong. That’s what I think is so special about this group of guys,” says Powell. “Throughout their whole careers, they’ve been doubted and overlooked, and we keep working, we keep grinding, and we keep turning heads. We have a group of winners here.”

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 227 FEATURING THE RAPTORS

Franklyn Calle is a senior producer at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post The Toronto Raptors Cover SLAM 227 appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka tweaked the ankle in the middle of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans last month and has been creeping toward a return ever since. It initially appeared as though he might be ahead of schedule but the Raptors had little reason to rush the big man back before he was fully ready.

According to TSN’s Josh Lewenberg, Ibaka will step back into his customary role as the team’s first big man off the bench.

Ibaka will hope to put the early season setback behind him as the 2019-20 campaign continues, he’s had less than 10 absences in each of the last four seasons and eight of the last 10.

The post Serge Ibaka Returns From Sprained Ankle appeared first on SLAM.

KD’s reasoning is simple: Curry is a better shooter than Westbrook.

Durant also playfully boasted that the Toronto Raptors only won the NBA title last summer over the Golden State Warriors because he was injured.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“Who is a better player: Stephen Curry or Russell Westbrook?” Ibaka asked.

“Stephen Curry,” Durant responded after a long pause.

When asked why he felt that way, Durant responded, “‘Cuz he can shoot better.”

Related Stephen Curry: ‘I’m Optimistic That We Will Get Off to a Hot Start’

The post ‘He Can Shoot Better’: Kevin Durant Gives Stephen Curry Edge Over Russell Westbrook appeared first on SLAM.

Ujiri says “it’s on to the next” for the defending NBA champs.

Masai added that this was a “different kind of free agency,” which ultimately resulted in Kawhi joining the LA Clippers.

Per TSN:

“Honestly, it’s on to the next,” Ujiri said, speaking publicly for the first time since Leonard made his decision early Saturday morning. “This is the NBA and this is how it works. I always say there’s no time to go out and cry. You can’t hide under the table and cry. Honestly, I’ve lost no sleep. I’m not disappointed. It’s on to what’s next. I’m telling Raptors fans and everybody, don’t lose one day of sleep, one second of sleep. We’re going to be just fine. We’re going to be all right.”

Was anybody not [upfront with him and the Raptors throughout the process]?

“I know what we’re dealing with here and I appreciate what the process was,” Ujiri responded. “I know free agency, I know how it works. It’s not my first rodeo. You know things are going to go up and down. This was a different kind of free agency. It was high stakes and we understood that.”

The natural assumption is that Ujiri was making reference to Uncle Dennis. Robertson has a reputation for being hard to deal with and would have been hands on throughout the process. According to sources, Leonard and his camp – namely Uncle Dennis – asked for a lot from the Raptors in that meeting, things players don’t generally ask for in standard contract negotiations.

In some cases, they were asking for things that Ujiri – one of the most well compensated executives in the league – wouldn’t have even had at his disposal. Their requests were “unreasonable”, a source said, which made the Raptors wonder whether Leonard was seriously considering them at all.

Related Nick Nurse: ‘Can’t Blame’ Kawhi Leonard for Joining the LA Clippers

The post Masai Ujiri: Raptors ‘Going to Be Just Fine’ Without Kawhi Leonard appeared first on SLAM.

It’s a proverb that rings its truth every day in the NBA.

Players around the League stepped up their game in the tunnel this season, so we added on a third team. It’s important to recognize progress, too, so we also mixed in a most-improved award to show love to the hooper who stepped up his tunnel walk the most in 2018-2019.

Anyways, we can skip to what you’re here for: This year’s LeagueFits All-Drip Teams and Awards.

THIRD TEAM: Dwayne Bacon, Ben Simmons, Dennis Schroder, Jordan Clarkson, Serge Ibaka

Three players made their All-Drip debuts in Dwayne Bacon, Ben Simmons and Dennis Schroder.

SECOND TEAM: Terry Rozier, Tobias Harris, Kevin Love, Kyle Kuzma, Mike Scott

Kyle Kuzma built upon his Rookie of the Year award from a year ago by making the jump to the Second Team. Tobias Harris and Mike Scott also made their All-Drip debuts.

FIRST TEAM: Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Kelly Oubre, PJ Tucker, Shai GIlgeous-Alexander

No surprises here. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the first rookie in LeaugeFits history to make an All-Drip Team.

MOST-IMPROVED: Dennis Schroder

One time for the #EuroDrip icon.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

No one rook should have all this power.

MVP: Kelly Oubre

Waves never die.

—

Ian Pierno is an Associate Social Media Editor and Drip Director at SLAM. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

Pat Bonoan is a Graphic Designer at SLAM. Follow him on Instagram.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The 2019 LeagueFits All-Drip Teams are STACKED appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard, 27, says he is “going to take the right time” before making a decision about where to play next season.

Kawhi enjoyed a “great experience” after being traded from San Antonio last summer, and Raptors teammate Serge Ibaka “can see the man is happy.”

Per The AP:

“I’m enjoying this” he said. “It’s not time to stress, it’s still time to have some fun. I’ve just been enjoying my experience.”

After precisely two months of playoff basketball, Leonard doesn’t have a lot of time left to be a fun guy — free agency gets underway at 6 p.m. on June 30.

“I’m going to take the right time,” he said. “You don’t need too many days to figure it out. We’ll see what happens. Once that time comes, then we’ll all lay the pros and cons out.”

A three-time All-Star and two-time NBA defensive player of the year, Leonard is expected to decline the player option on the final year of his contract and become a free agent. Toronto can offer him a five-year deal worth around $190 million, one year and some $50 million more than any other team.

“I’ve been talking with him a lot during the season and in the playoffs, but after we won, I can see the man is happy,” Ibaka said. “That’s the most important. We play this sport because we want to enjoy and have fun and be happy and be somewhere people love you. I’m sure he feels that people here love him, and after this moment, that’s the most important.”

Related Fred VanVleet: ‘Nothing More That We Can Do’ to Recruit Kawhi Leonard

The post Kawhi Leonard ‘Going to Take the Right Time’ in Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard, 27, ignored the noise and led Toronto to its first ever title and took home his second NBA Finals MVP.

Kawhi says he is a “Raptor for right now” and wouldn’t give a hint about what he plans to do as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Per ESPN:

“I told him, day one, this is his team. He the man,” [Kyle] Lowry said. “And I’m gonna make sure he’s the man. And when he did special things, I told him he was the man.”

Said Leonard: “That’s just the type of guy he is, you know? He wants to win. Very competitive player. Like I said before, Kyle’s been a big help with me in my transition, just knowing things throughout the city and obviously basketball.”

Leonard called winning another NBA title “surreal” while referencing behind-the-scenes drama that could have derailed the Raptors’ season. “Our season was so up and down — behind the scenes,” Leonard said. “And you know, that’s how you know this is a great group of teammates. Nothing got out. You guys didn’t know what was going on.”

Leonard and Lowry said they will now stay “in the moment” to celebrate the title, but the next question will be Leonard’s pending free agency, should he decline to exercise a $21.3 million player option for next season.

“I’m not thinking about it right now,” Leonard said. “No, I’m a Raptor for right now. And you know, we’ll see what happens.”

Related Kawhi Leonard: ‘I Wouldn’t Be Here’ Without Load Management

The post Kawhi Leonard: ‘A Lot of People Doubted Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Lowry says his critics can say whatever they want, but it won’t matter: “I’m a champion.”

The veteran point guard, sitting beside Finals MVP teammate Kawhi Leonard, reflected on a wild season in Toronto that ended with the ultimate triumph.

Per ESPN:

“No,” Lowry told ESPN with a laugh, after finishing with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists and 3 steals. “I hope — I don’t care what they say.

“I appreciate the moment that I’m in. I’m happy I’m able to celebrate this moment with my teammates and with my family. The critics will have something else to say, which is fine. But I’m a champion.”

The thing that makes this Raptors championship so singular is how quickly this all came together. [Nick] Nurse is a first-year coach. Leonard, Danny Green and Marc Gasol — three of Toronto’s five starters Thursday night — arrived this season. Yet the Raptors managed to figure this out on the fly and win a title in the process.

“Professionals,” Lowry told ESPN. “You’ve watched us, you’ve been around us, you see what we’ve got — true professionals. Never settling. Whatever I need to do, I’m doing it for my team.”

As Lowry collected his family and went to pose with the championship trophy, he was asked how it felt.

“It feels great,” he said. “We’re f—ing champions.”

Related Kyle Lowry: DeMar DeRozan ‘Wants Us to Win a Ring’

The post ‘I’m a Champion’: Kyle Lowry Silences His Critics appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State is trailing the Raptors 3-1, and is expected to welcome back Kevin Durant in its lineup with their season on the line.

The Dubs are favored by Vegas heading into the do-or-die affair, and head coach Steve Kerr is confident KD will be “a threat” despite a lack of conditioning after sitting out with a calf injury since May 8.

Per ESPN:

“It looked good and we’ll see where it all goes,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

Kerr was asked about his concerns with Durant having missed so much time.

“You worry about the conditioning … the skill obviously is undeniable and he’s a guy who can get his shot off any time he wants,” he said. “He’s Kevin Durant. So, if we have him out there, he’ll be a threat, we know that.”

Dealing with the injury has been frustrating, however.

“And we talked about it when the injury occurred, pretty vague, a lot of gray area. One of the first things [Warriors director of sports and performance] Rick [Celebrini] told me with calves, it could be a couple weeks, it could be a couple months,” Kerr said. “And it’s not often you have injuries like that. Usually you kind of get that 4-6 week thing or 2-3 weeks and so calves, Achilles, muscular stuff, it’s a little tougher to gauge than a joint. And when you combine that with the scrutiny and the media coverage of the Finals, we’ve just been in the spotlight, he’s been in the spotlight, and it’s been tough.”

Related Stephen Curry: ‘Nobody’s Going to Feel Sorry for Us at All’

The post Stephen Curry: ‘This Isn’t Over’ appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka reacted to something Chriss said after knocking him down. The two big fellas will now face suspensions, with Ibaka missing 3 games and Chriss missing one, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.

When the dust settled, the Cavs handed the visiting Toronto Raptos an embarrassing 126-101 loss.

Per The Toronto Sun:

“I just saw some stuff building up. Some frustration,” Danny Green told the Toronto Sun.

“Not just with him but throughout the game with a lot of guys. Some things not going our way. And I saw them get tangled up earlier in the game and I guess it kind of escalated. An altercation happened very fast.”

Marc Gasol, who has played with Ibaka for Spain and will see more minutes should Ibaka get suspended, said these things will occur from time to time.

“It’s an emotional game. Sometimes things happen,” Gasol said. “Contact sports and you say the wrong things, emotions builds up and sometimes it explodes.”

The post ‘Some Frustration’: Serge Ibaka and Marquese Chriss Brawl in Cleveland appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard, 27, is enjoying his best statistical season (27.3 points, 7.8 rebounds) with the Raptors (31-12), but his future remains very much in question.

From the Mag: Courting Kawhi: Can the Raptors sell their star on a future in Toronto? https://t.co/R72zY1BeB0

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) January 8, 2019

Toronto can offer Kawhi a five-year, max-level contract extension worth around $190 million on July 1.

Per Sports Illustrated:

(Last season, he approached the Thunder about a Paul George-for-DeMar DeRozan swap.) Since [Masai] Ujiri took over basketball operations in 2013, the Raptors have been consistently good, never sinking below 48 victories. But they never felt great. “I have a mandate . . . to win a championship,” says Ujiri. “You can’t continue doing the same thing over and over again. We gave a chance to [that] team. We tried to build it as much as we can.”

Inside the locker room, Leonard’s free agency is rarely discussed, even if everyone is wary of the consequences. “We need him to stay,” says [Serge] Ibaka. “He keeps everybody safe—no one is safe if he leaves.” Ibaka has been one of Leonard’s strongest new connections. In Leonard, Ibaka sees shades of [Russell] Westbrook and Kevin Durant, his former teammates in Oklahoma City. “They have a similar mind-set, where if they want to do something, they know they can.” In San Antonio, Leonard was known as the Claw. In Toronto, Ibaka has tried to make Deadly Zombie (self-explanatory) and Cape Town (the city in South Africa) stick. “I don’t know why, but he keeps telling me he’s from Cape Town,” says Ibaka, who was born in Congo. “Of all the places. . . . Maybe he just wants to visit there someday.”

From his locker a few stalls over, Leonard looks up. “You hating on me, Serge?” Leonard asks, smiling.

Ibaka grins back. “No, man,” he says. “We need you to stay. Stay, Kawhi. Stayyyyyy.”

Related
Kyle Lowry: ‘I Will Be Happy for Kawhi Leonard When He Makes His Decision’

The post ‘We Need Him to Stay’: Raptors Bracing for Kawhi Leonard’s Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

Portland went in to halftime with a three-point lead, but found themselves down by 17 points during the fourth quarter.

Outside of Dame Lillard and CJ McCollum, the Blazers struggled to score and just didn’t have the firepower to mount a comeback.

Chris Paul put up a triple-double with 11 points (on 12 shots), 11 boards and 10 assists—just his 15th triple-double of his career.

Suns 86 (4-24), Spurs 111 (14-14)

San Antonio led the entire game, handing the Suns their 10th (!!!) consecutive loss.

The Spurs shot a hyper-efficient 13-21 from three and led by as much as 25 points.

Bryn Forbes had 24 points and a career-high 11 boards to lead San Antonio.

Rudy Gay is NOT HAVING IT (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/CyxMT42XdW

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 12, 2018

Raptors 123 (21-7), Clippers 99 (17-9)

Even with Kawhi Leonard on the sidelines for the first game of a back-to-back, Toronto was simply dominant in Los Angeles.

The Raptors cracked open a 32-point lead in the third, and the starters were able to catch some rest before tomorrow’s showdown against Golden State.

Serge Ibaka led the way with a game-high 25 points, 9 boards and 3 swats. Kyle Lowry added 21 points (on 13 shots) and 7 assists.

Toronto is now 6-1 in games without Kawhi this season.

Beauty of the Bounce Pass, by @Klow7

(via @Raptors) https://t.co/AYk2NeD6TN

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 12, 2018

The post Post Up: Raptors Dominate against Clippers in L.A. appeared first on SLAM.

Peep the highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpyXJHkrtsQ

Ibaka is averaging 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds this season.

The post Serge Ibaka Drops Career-High 34 Points Against Lakers 🎥 appeared first on SLAM.

Kyle Kuzma, last year’s All-Drip Rookie of the Year, made an appearance in the “Best of the Rest” with All-Drip Second Team member and #DadDrip king LeBron James.

The Washington Wizards (John Wall, Kelly Oubre Jr., Green) and the Los Angeles Lakers (James, Kuzma, Michael Beasley) had the most players on this week’s Fits of the Week, with each squad having three representatives.

—

To keep up with the NBA’s Survival of the Fitted, follow @LeagueFits on Instagram 

The post Fits of the Week: Russell Westbrook is Making Overalls Cool Again 🌊 appeared first on SLAM.

Meet the first-ever SLAM @LeagueFits All-Drip Teams and Rookie of the Year, a group of 11 players that were built for the Survival of the Fitted.

All-Drip First Team

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

The Brodie made a career for himself with his fearless attitude on the court, and his attitude in fashion isn’t much different. The League’s most versatile dresser, Russ isn’t afraid to make jaws drop on any given night.

Nick Young, Golden State Warriors 

Swaggy P became Swaggy Champ as he won his first-ever NBA Finals with Golden State, but he kept it straight Hollywood with the fits. In addition to wearing top-shelf names like Saint Laurent, Supreme and Rhude Designs, Swaggy gets bonus points for dropping a new collection of jawnz on his own line, Most Hated Los Angeles.

PJ Tucker, Houston Rockets

PJ Tucker’s career made stops in Israel, Greece, Italy, Puerto Rico, Canada and Germany before he became a Houston Rocket. With an international influence playing a role in his drip, the NBA’s undisputed sneaker king joined the upper echelon of all-time fit icons, too.

Jimmy Butler, Minnesota Timberwolves

Jimmy loves his patterns, and it shows. Never afraid to be bold, Butler was one of the League’s most coordinated dressers during his first year in Minnesota.

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron is way cooler than your dad. Year 15 was a legendary one for the King off the court just as much as it was on the hardwood. James mixed things up, rocking streetwear brands like Billionaire Boys Club, top-flight designed suits from Thom Browne (shouts out to the suit shorts) and up-and-coming Scholastics. Dad Drip at its finest.

All-Drip Second Team

James Harden, Houston Rockets

Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, Maison Valentino, Y-3, Raf Simons, Versace, Vetements, etc. The Beard rocked the League’s deepest designer wardrobe as he led the Rockets to a franchise-best 65 wins.

Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers/Cleveland Cavaliers

JC made the jump from Los Angeles to Cleveland at the trade deadline, but the youngin’ brought the West Coast streetwear style with him to the midwest. Already one of the League’s Supreme kings, Clarkson mixed things up with Off-White, Rhude Designs and Gucci.

Serge Ibaka, Toronto Raptors 

Simple and steezy, Serge Ibaka made Dad Drip cool again in Toronto. Touted by Kyle Lowry as “The Most Stylish Man in the NBA,” Ibaka capped off a career fit year with the Raptors by heading East to stunt out at Paris Fashion Week (just peep the ‘gram).

Terry Rozier, Boston Celtics

The game doesn’t end when the final horn blows for Scary Terry. Rozier had Twitter popping when he wore a Drew Bledsoe jersey after knocking Eric Bledsoe’s Bucks out of the postseason, but the Pats threads weren’t the only notable fit from Rozier, who brought out some of the League’s tuffest Off-White combinations.

Chris Paul, Houston Rockets

Deion Sanders once said that “You look good, you feel good. You feel good, you play good,” and it was the motto CP3 rode all the way to his first-ever Conference Finals. The Point Gawd mixed innovation and bold patterns with old-school staples (shouts out to making the dad cap cool again) in the winningest season of his career.

All-Drip Rookie of the Year

Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers

You would’ve thought Kuz had been Hollywood his whole life. Brining serious game and a booming personality to the Lakers, Kuzma has the wardrobe to match his path to stardom.

—

To keep up with the NBA’s Survival of the Fitted, follow @LeagueFits on Instagram 

The post Introducing the First-Ever LeagueFits All-Drip Teams 💧 appeared first on SLAM.

Haven’t had a Steven Adams groin shot in a while. Adams to the locker room after the contact from Serge. Was joking with Ibaka after the hit: pic.twitter.com/Q8LXSysrD8

— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) March 18, 2018

After the game—a 132-125 Thunder win—Adams joked that Ibaka “is not the most coordinated guy.”

Steven Adams on his former teammate, Serge Ibaka, accidentally kneeing him in the groin: “Unfortunately, Serge is not the most coordinated guy. So he ended up, yeah, old mate. What a d***” pic.twitter.com/oS5DIF2XZj

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) March 18, 2018

“You have to try to be legal, verticality, so you have to face them. Unfortunately, Serge is not the most coordinated guy.

So he ended up, yeah, old mate. What a dick.”

RELATED:
Steven Adams Calls Hip Injury ‘Australopithecus Afarensis’

The post Steven Adams on Ibaka Groin Kick: ‘Serge Is Not The Most Coordinated Guy’ appeared first on SLAM.

DeMar DeRozan drove to the rim with about 30 seconds left. He was upset with the contact on this play pic.twitter.com/qr5WIcccrh

— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 18, 2018

And with the Raps down by 5 with 11.7 seconds, they turned the ball over on an inbound play.

That defense at the end… pic.twitter.com/1cSD521I5J

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 18, 2018

DeRozan was again unhappy with a no-call and he went off again. Davis ejected him. Serge Ibaka got thrown out moments later.

DeMar DeRozan & Serge Ibaka have been ejected from the game.

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 18, 2018

When the Thunder were shooting their free throw for that ejection, Raps head coach Dwane Casey was also thrown out, even though it seemed like he didn’t say anything to the refs. The Thunder won the game by 7.

Russ up in Toronto today:

•37 points
•14 assists
•13 rebounds
•5th straight triple-double
•23rd triple-double of his season
•102nd triple-double of his career
•Thunder beat Raptors

Most Valuable Brodie #WHYNOT pic.twitter.com/hYnL4Sq0MD

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 18, 2018

The post DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka and Dwane Casey Get Ejected Against OKC appeared first on SLAM.

The altercation took place less than four minutes into the second half.

The Heat held off the visiting Toronto Raptors in a wild 90-89 win.

Per the Sun-Sentinel:

His team already decimated by injuries, including a shoulder issue that kept guard Tyler Johnson out of Tuesday’s game, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra prepared for Wednesday’s game braced for the worst.

 

“We’re going to wait [to hear] from the league,” Spoelstra said, “and we’ll just wait until we find out when we talk to the league.”

 

Tensions ran high throughout the game, which was decided by Wayne Ellington’s driving layup with three-tenths of a second to play.

 

“It certainly felt like there was something at stake from the very tip, and that’s the way it should be in this league,” Spoelstra said. “There was a physicality, an edge to the game.”

The post Serge Ibaka and James Johnson Ejected for Throwing Punches appeared first on SLAM.

The two were throwing elbows in the paint when Aldridge squared up and shoved Ibaka.

https://youtu.be/5h7qWmRPnyc

If this looks familiar, that’s because Aldridge and Ibaka got into a scuffle like this nearly three years ago.

RELATED:
James Harden And Mario Chalmers Scuffle in Grizzlies Win

The post Serge Ibaka And LaMarcus Aldridge Scuffle in Spurs Win appeared first on SLAM.

Source: Free agent forward Serge Ibaka has reached deal on three-year, $65M contract to stay with the Toronto… https://t.co/ATpQCWXQ36

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2017

Ibaka was traded from the Magic to the Raptors at last year’s trade deadline. He averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 boards with Toronto.

RELATED:
2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker

The post Serge Ibaka To Sign 3-Year, $65 Million Deal With Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

James swears he wasn’t showing up Ibaka in Game 2; it was simply a bait.

LeBron spinning the ball right in front of Ibaka and burying the three…the disrespect pic.twitter.com/piVkO1PMJQ

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 4, 2017

LeBron says the moment only became a big deal because of who he is:

“It’s bait,” James told ESPN at Cavs shootaround ahead of Friday’s Game 3. “If [Ibaka] would have reached in, I would have put it on the floor.

 

“It was a mental thing. Everything I do is mental.”

 

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry didn’t have a problem with James spinning the ball. He had a problem with the Raptors’ defense being so ineffective that James would feel empowered to attempt such a move.

 

“I was pretty upset, [but] not that he did it,” Lowry said. “He should spin the ball. He’s comfortable. We can’t let him be comfortable. We have to make him uncomfortable. He’s in a situation right now where he’s playing very comfortably and the things he’s doing is comfortable. If I was comfortable, I would do the same thing.”

Related
DeMar DeRozan Offers $100 to Anyone Who Can Stop LeBron James

The post LeBron James Wasn’t Disrespecting Serge Ibaka With Ball Spin appeared first on SLAM.

Today is an off day in Toronto, between Games 1 and 2 of the No. 3-seeded Raptors’ opening round playoff series with the feisty Milwaukee Bucks. Practice ended about an hour ago, and Serge Ibaka is back at the crib. His apartment in Old Toronto is only four blocks from Air Canada Centre, where the Raps play, but more like a 15-minute drive—sans traffic—from the team’s practice facility.

His game day routine has stayed the same for much of his career. Show up 45 minutes early. Shootaround. Extra shots. Stretch. Ice bath. Massage. Shower. His chef will have his pre-game lunch (always pasta) ready when Serge gets home, and he’ll take about an hour-long nap before getting dressed and heading back to the arena. The familiarity of that routine helped keep him focused during what’s been an unexpectedly nomadic year.

For the first seven years of his NBA career, Ibaka was in Oklahoma City. The Congolese native tore up the Spanish pro league as a teenager, attracted the eye of scouts and became a first-round pick of the then-Seattle SuperSonics. A year later he arrived in OKC. For his entire NBA life, until last summer, he called Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook teammates. Those Thunder teams made the Western Conference Finals four times, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2012, and missed the playoffs just once. The legendary (in hindsight) OKC core of Durant, Westbrook and James Harden will forever be one of the NBA’s greatest what-ifs. And yet, the ever-common groaning about how that team was disassembled neglects to include mention of Ibaka, who was traded to Orlando on draft night 2016 for Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and No. 11 pick Domantas Sabonis. He posted good numbers but was languishing away on a Magic team going nowhere until the Raptors scooped him up in a February deal. A season ago at this time, Ibaka was enjoying the long-term stability of OKC. Now, he’s moved twice in the year since—and he’s had to get used to dealing with big-city traffic.

“It’s getting easier,” Ibaka says over the phone from his new residence in the 6. He’s got the logistics down pat, but all the career changes have caused some disorder in his personal life. Ibaka’s 11-year-old daughter Ranie is still back in Orlando, where she was already enrolled in school, but she visits him often—like this past weekend, when there are a couple days between Raptors home games. When he’s not spending time with his daughter, for the most part Serge just shuttles between his apartment and practice or games. The 27-year-old prefers to stay home and chill during his personal time—he stretches his 6-10 frame out on the couch and watches TV shows like Bloodline and The Walking Dead.

Late in Game 1, with the Bucks out to a 19-point lead and the game no longer hanging in the balance, Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan drove the paint but was rejected—rather emphatically—by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. DeRozan popped up off the deck with a look in his eye like he wanted to two-piece The Greek Freak a la Chris Childs’ two-piece on Kobe circa the year 2000. Before he could get to Giannis, though, Ibaka bear-hugged his teammate and got in his ear.

“It’s not Game 7,” Ibaka remembers telling DeRozan as he held him back from going after Antetokounmpo. “I was telling him, it’s OK, we might have six more to go. We got the next one. Because the one thing I’ve learned about this sport, especially in the playoffs, is you cannot celebrate the first win. We’ve got more games coming.”

That, Ibaka says, has been his message to the Raptors as a whole: “I’ve been in the position before where we’re two games down and we came back and won the series. All you have to do is learn from the last game, go back and practice hard and come back stronger.”

After not having won a first-round series since the Vince Carter era, Toronto broke through with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals last postseason, falling in six games to the eventual champion Cavaliers. At this season’s trade deadline, the Raptors acquired Ibaka from the Magic in exchange for swingman Terrence Ross and a first-round pick. The move signaled something simple but important, given the landscape of the Eastern Conference: Toronto is going for it, right here, right now, with this core. They were long in desperate need of a power forward (and sometimes-center) to play defense, stretch the floor and bring toughness to a talented, guard-heavy lineup. In Ibaka, the Raptors finally have that missing piece.

During the 2016-17 regular season with Orlando and Toronto, Ibaka put up 14.8 points per game (his highest ppg since 2014) to go with 6.8 boards and 1.6 blocks. His traditional defensive stats might not jump off the page anymore—as a younger player, he led the League in blocks with 3.7 a night—but his evolution as a player has made him more versatile, and thus more valuable. With the Raptors, he’s taking—and making—more threes (40 percent during the regular season) as exactly the kind of versatile, floor-stretching big man his new team needs. More importantly, Ibaka can speak to his new teammates from experience.

“That’s the dream, to make it back to the Finals,” Ibaka insists. “Because I know how hard it is to make it to the Finals.”

Beyond the adjustments to his daily life, and to the modifications to his game for the betterment of his new team, Ibaka’s also had to make a mental adjustment. He’s gone from playing in the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference, which means a whole new set of rivals. Instead of chasing San Antonio or Golden State, Toronto added Ibaka (and forward PJ Tucker from the Suns in another deadline deal) with the aim of taking down Cleveland.

“I’m used to seeing first round we’re going to play Memphis or Denver or the Lakers. Now my first playoff game here we’d play the Bucks or Indiana. So yeah, it feels weird, a little bit,” Ibaka admits. “But to me, it’s the playoffs. I keep doing the same routine, the same focus. And it’s basketball. It’s not that different, it’s another playoff series, but with my new team.”

As for what he brings to the Raptors, Ibaka mentions a winning mentality (check), a strong defensive presence (check) and toughness (ask Robin Lopez). Or, as he puts it hopefully, “the kinds of things that win championships.” Indeed, head coach Dwane Casey told reporters in April that Ibaka and Tucker give the Raptors “physical toughness that we haven’t had.” Serge is adamant, though, that he doesn’t want a pat on the back for bringing Toronto a damn thing until it results in wins. “We have to wait until after the playoffs.”

Playoffs. Even just hearing Ibaka say the word feels right. He’s far too classy to put it in crass terms, so we’ll say it for him: Getting traded from the Thunder to the Magic last summer was a gut punch. Which, in contrast, meant that getting moved mid-season from the Magic to the Raptors was nothing short of reinvigorating. The trade, which sent him from one of the East’s worst teams to one of its best, happened a few days before the All-Star break. That’s a week when most players without obligations to All-Star Weekend itself take the rare opportunity to go on an exotic vacation and get some rest, for once. Instead, Ibaka was in New York City, working out at the National Basketball Players Association’s gym in midtown. And when he finally hit the court in Toronto a few days later, he was celebrated immediately.

“It was so great to see all the fans who were waiting for me—they were so happy and excited to have me here,” Ibaka says. “It pumped up my confidence, just to see all that love, how happy they were to see me. The first game, when they introduced my name, it was crazy—like, crazy crazy. It’s love, man.”

The night after our chat, in Game 2 against the Bucks, Ibaka will prove why he’s worthy of such admiration, pouring in 16 points (including 4 three-pointers), snatching 7 rebounds, handing out 6 assists and swatting 2 thunderous blocked shots on Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker to help even the series. He is everywhere, making the plays we’re used to seeing Serge Ibaka make on a basketball court—only now he’s wearing Raptors red and black, not the Thunder blue we’d come so accustomed to seeing him in around this time each year.

And that’s the thing: Serge Ibaka is still Serge Ibaka, albeit a little older and a little wiser, following a sabbatical to basketball irrelevance for 56 games in Orlando.

Toronto won that first-round series over the Bucks, and now the Raptors are once again hoping to get over the hump against the Cavs. Should they succeed, All-Stars DeRozan and Kyle Lowry will (deservedly) be heaped with praise. Ibaka, though, would represent the key to Toronto’s breakthrough, both in attitude and output. It would be the culmination of sharing all he learned in OKC, and the epitome of his willingness to play a supporting role for the greater good of the team. In that sense, Ibaka’s been expertly navigating traffic his entire career.

—

Abe Schwadron is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @abe_squad.

Portraits via Charlie Lindsay (@doncharleone); Action shot via Getty Images.

The post Up North Trip appeared first on SLAM.

The Greek Freak usually gets the better of those who try to dunk on him. But not this time.

In the opening minutes of Game 5, Toronto big man Serge Ibaka made a statement by elevating for a monster slam over Giannis.

Ibaka making a statement early pic.twitter.com/l47aCJUnge

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) April 24, 2017

We see you, Serge!

The post WATCH: Serge Ibaka Dunks on Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared first on SLAM.

Replay Review (Game Crew): player altercation in Q3 of #CHIatTOR. Ruling: Fighting technical fouls assessed to Lopez & Ibaka (both ejected). pic.twitter.com/bFIK5awlZc

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) March 22, 2017

Raptors assistant coach Jamaal Magloire, who liked to mix it up during his playing days, was fined $15K for pushing Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic during the melee “and acting as other than a peacemaker.”

From the press release:

Robin Lopez and Serge Ibaka exchanged punches during Tuesday’s game.

 

The incident, for which Ibaka and Lopez were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game, occurred with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter of the Raptors’ 122-120 overtime win over the Bulls at Air Canada Centre on March 21.

 

Lopez [served] his suspension [Wednesday] when the Bulls hosted the Detroit Pistons at United Center. Ibaka will serve his suspension [tonight] when the Raptors visit the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The post Serge Ibaka and Robin Lopez Suspended One Game for Fighting appeared first on SLAM.

I have watched the replay of my man @sergeibaka_7 fight , well @FloydMayweather we have got a fight! Forget @TheNotoriousMMA

— Bismack Biyombo (@bismackbiyombo) March 22, 2017

Bebe walking past Ibaka scrum: "What's up Mike Tyson?" JV: "Way to fight Serge"

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) March 22, 2017

Robin Lopez and Serge Ibaka got ejected for throwing punches at each other.

Brook Lopez says he's pulling for Ibaka in the grudge match. pic.twitter.com/IojTobIF8k

— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) March 22, 2017

The post Serge Ibaka, Robin Lopez Ejected After Brawl appeared first on SLAM.

Video courtesy of Toronto Raptors

The post Serge Ibaka Introduces Himself to Toronto appeared first on SLAM.

Orlando has agreed to trade Serge Ibaka to Toronto for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick, league sources tell @TheVertical.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 14, 2017

Toronto will send lower of its two first-round picks to Orlando in 2017, league sources tell @TheVertical. Toronto has the Clippers' pick.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 14, 2017

Ibaka is due to be a free agent this summer and Woj says that the team will try and sign him to a long-term deal:

Sources: Toronto is trading for Ibaka with intention of trying to re-sign him in free agency this summer. Masai Ujiri has long coveted him.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 14, 2017

Ibaka is averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 boards and 1.6 blocks per game and will likely be an upgrade over the Raptors rotating big man cast of Patrick Patterson, Jared Sullinger, Paskal Siakam and Bruno Caboclo.

Related
The Backbone — SLAM Feature on Kyle Lowry From Issue 206

The post Report: Magic Trade Serge Ibaka to Raptors For Terrence Ross and First Round Pick appeared first on SLAM.

What a finish. Down by one with 3.9 second left in regulation, C.J. McCollum drove past Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes to sink a one-handed floater, giving Portland a crucial victory in their playoff push. On a bittersweet night for the Trail Blazers- the team lost Evan Turner to a broken hand- McCollum and Damian Lillard were sublime, scoring 32 and 29 points, respectively. The Mavs hung in well in Tuesday’s heartbreaker, as three players (including 38-year-old Dirk Nowitzki!) scored at least 23 points. Yogi Ferrell appears to be coming back down to earth, as the former Hoosier scored just 12 points through 35 minutes.

“We’ve struggled to win games in these close situations,” Lillard said. “To finally close one out, it feels good going back home.”

Hornets 111 (24-17), Nets 107 (9-42)

Despite outscoring Charlotte 70-57 in the second half, the Nets absorbed their 10th straight loss. Former SLAM Podcast guest Spencer Dinwiddie received the start for Brooklyn, tallying seven points with four assists and a steal. Bojan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez combined for 42, but ultimately a well-rounded attack (six players scoring in double-digits) helped the Hornets snap a seven-game skid.

This season:
Hornets +177 with Cody Zeller ON
Hornets -139 with Cody Zeller OFF https://t.co/5aD9RZyPa2

— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) February 7, 2017

Rockets 128 (38-17), Magic 104 (20-33)

The Magic cut their deficit to eight points early in the fourth quarter, before Houston’s torrid 24-2 run put the game out of reach for good. James Harden scored 25 points and Trevor Ariza added 20, handing Orlando their seventh loss in the last 10 games. The loss is particularly demoralizing to the Magic, who now sit five games behind the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference. Serge Ibaka, who scored a game-high 28 points, will be the team’s primary asset at the trade deadline.

https://youtu.be/Dtu1ZG4rI9I

The post Post Up: Winning Collum appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka, 27, joined Orlando via trade and will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

NBA trade rumors: Magic step up efforts to trade Serge Ibaka ahead of free agency https://t.co/R1aV9yPUkE

— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) January 30, 2017

Nikola Vucevic and Elfrid Payton are also rumored to be potentially available:

It has not taken long for buyers’ remorse to kick in. League sources told Sporting News that the Magic have picked up their attempts to move Ibaka ahead of next month’s trade deadline, eager to ensure that they come away with some return for a player who does not figure to be in Orlando long. Ibaka will be a free agent this summer. There is no chance of a (Bismack) Biyombo trade, not after the Magic paid him $70 million for four years this offseason.

 

Ibaka, 27, has been productive, with 14.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 48.6 percent shooting from the field (38.3 percent from the 3-point arc), but he has not had the level of impact on the team’s defense the Magic had hoped. Ultimately, the team will have to shift third-year forward Aaron Gordon from small forward to power forward, Ibaka’s current spot.

 

Problem is, no one quite knows what Ibaka is going to do next July. The Magic want to recoup the loss of (Domantas) Sabonis and (Victor) Oladipo with some other youngsters or picks in return. Teams are naturally reluctant to give up promising young assets for a few months of Ibaka, however, especially with the way each conference has been dominated by its defending champs, the Cavs in the East (despite recent struggles) and the Warriors in the West. A short-term rental is not likely to bring a championship.

Related
Serge Ibaka: ‘I Never Asked To Be Traded [From Thunder]’

The post Report: Orlando Looking to Trade Serge Ibaka appeared first on SLAM.

The post Magic Block 9 Shots in First Quarter, Set Franchise Record appeared first on SLAM.

This was Westbrook’s third triple-double of the season and 40th of his career.

Ibaka enjoyed sweet revenge against his old team.

Per the AP:

“Coach called my name, and I was ready,” Ibaka said. “I work on my shot every night and every summer, so I was just ready to make a play.”

 

Though he enjoyed his time with the Thunder and respects the organization and the fans, he said it was an emotional day and it was important for him to play well. He scored a career-high 31 points and added nine rebounds and four blocks. […] “I’m not going to lie to you, it feels good,” he said.

 

“He had a special performance,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “A night I’m sure he’ll remember for the rest of his career.”

The post WATCH: Russell Westbrook Notches 41-12-16 Triple-Double appeared first on SLAM.

Charlotte held a 72-71 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the Cavs rallied behind LeBron (11 points, 5 assists in the final period) to secure the 100-93 victory. Channing Frye had the hot hand from deep, dropping six treys and scoring 20 total points off the bench. The Hornets got 21 from Kemba and one Shaqtin moment from Spencer Hawes:

Timberwolves 125 (3-6), Lakers 99 (6-5)

It was the Andrew Wiggins show in Minnesota tonight. The young fella dropped a career-high 47 points (14/21 from the field), which equaled the entire Lakers starting lineup. Nemanja Bjelica pitched in a career-high 24 points as well.

Magic 119 (4-6), Thunder 117 (6-4)

It was quite a return to Oklahoma City for Serge Ibaka. The big man recorded a career-high 31 points and drilled the game-winning jumper with .4 seconds remaining:

Westbrook did his thing in the loss, posting another monster triple-double – 41 points, 16 assists, 12 rebounds.

Warriors 133 (8-2), Suns 120 (3-8)

Durant, Curry, and Klay Thompson combined for 89 points (29, 30, 30 respectively) in this one, as Golden State shot a scorching 48.5% from three (16/33). TJ Warren and Eric Bledsoe had 20 each for the Suns.

Trail Blazers 112 (7-4), Nuggets 105 (3-7)

Another game, another gem from Damian Lillard. The rising superstar had 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists to lead his Trail Blazers to a victory. Denver rookie Jamal Murray had probably his best game so far, scoring 19 points on 6/12 shooting.

The post Post Up: Minnesota Rising appeared first on SLAM.

In his return to Oklahoma City, Serge Ibaka had one of the best games of his career. The big man put up a career-high 31 points, including the game-winning fadeaway jumper with .4 seconds remaining. Check out the highlight above.

Ibaka’s impressive performance helped spoil another monster triple double from Russell Westbrook – 41 points, 16 assists, 12 rebounds.

Related
Serge Ibaka Says He Wants to Play in Orlando ‘Forever’
Serge Ibaka: ‘I Never Asked To Be Traded [From Thunder]’

The post WATCH: Serge Ibaka Hits Game-Winner Against OKC appeared first on SLAM.

The big fella says he wants to ink a long-term deal in Orlando.

Serge Ibaka today indicated he's interested in staying with the Magic beyond the 2016-17 season: https://t.co/z007Gcjwqr.

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) September 26, 2016

The Magic’s front-office also have interest in locking up the 27-year-old.

Per the Orlando Sentinel:

“I’m looking to stay here to play forever — for [as] many, many years as possible,” Serge Ibaka said during the Magic’s media day.

 

The Magic traded Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and the draft rights to rookie Domantas Sabonis to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Ibaka, a power forward who excels on defense and can stretch the floor on offense with his 3-point shooting. Many pundits said the Magic paid too high a price for Ibaka, especially since Ibaka can leave via free agency next year.

 

“We certainly traded for Serge thinking long-term, and that’s our expectation,” Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said.[…] Ibaka, 27, is due to earn $12.3 million during the upcoming season, and he likely will command a significant raise in free agency.

Related
Serge Ibaka: ‘I Never Asked To Be Traded [From Thunder]’

The post Serge Ibaka Says He Wants to Play in Orlando ‘Forever’ appeared first on SLAM.

At the age of 16, he made the difficult decision to leave his family (which included 17 siblings) to start a new life in Spain. Not having an immense formal education or speaking the language in his new home, times were super rough at first.

But Ibaka persevered, learned very quickly, and within two years found himself a first-round pick by the Thunder. After seven years in OKC, it is time for another change, as he found himself dealt to the Orlando Magic.

What makes Ibaka’s trade to Orlando so interesting is that it was just a few years ago that the franchise was so enamored by the 6-11 power forward that they made the ever-so-difficult decision to keep him over James Harden.

Over the last few seasons, his role changed numerous times. Ibaka went from being rim-protector and finisher to being a legit stretch big man. His new home in Orlando reunites him with Magic GM Rob Hennigan, who was there in Oklahoma with Serge throughout the early years of his career, making one wonder what role the franchise will come up with for their talented big man.

While Serge has proven that he can drop 14-15 points a night throughout his tenure with the Thunder, there was very little offense ran through him. He was deadly spacing the floor, not only shooting 36 percent from the three-point line in his final campaign with OKC, but also opening up the court for guys like Russ and KD to get to the rack.

If defenders flew out at him, Ibaka’s offensive game had grown to the point that he could beat slower defenders off of the dribble. Once you add in the fact that he has great hands, keeps possessions alive on the offensive glass, and is always a threat to bang on you, it is easy to see why there is so much optimism in for a fresh start in Orlando.

On the defensive end, the drop that Ibaka saw in ’15-16 was moreso due to Billy Donovan’s varying defensive strategy than it was due to Air Congo’s lack of production. Instead of keeping him near the three-second area as a rim protector, Billy D had Ibaka out on the floor hedging/switching countless pick and rolls.

This change in philosophy allowed Steven Adams and Enes Kanter to hold down the paint with Serge’s numbers sliding in the process. Anyone who watched the game beyond the box scores realized that Serge was making just as big of a difference containing ball screens on the outside that he was two years ago manning the paint. Both Frank Vogel and Rob Henningan saw that, hence immediately making a move.

“To me, I love defense. In the game, some people like to score, some people like to assist, but for me, it is defense,” Ibaka said at his introductory press conference with the Magic. “I thank God with my hard work that I can now play both ends of the floor, but it started with defense. I have had the opportunity to play in the League for seven years now and it started with defense.”

More important than the impact that Ibaka makes on the hardwood is the one that he makes off of it. In addition to the varying projects he was involved with in the local OKC community, he has been the face of basketball in the Congo.

His inspiring documentary, entitled Son of Congo, gave everyone a glimpse of his efforts in his home nation. Ibaka provided an opportunity for some of the top players in the Congo to play in front of college coaches on the adidas circuit via the Serge Ibaka Dreams Academy.

Among the varying philanthropic efforts the he has with the Serge Ibaka Foundation, he recently reached an agreement with his former club in Spain (Manresa) to set up a pipeline for Congolese ballers to both study and develop. Given all of this and with a new home, Ibaka is beyond elated for the new start.

“Right now, though, I feel like a rookie again.” Ibaka told the Players Tribune. “I’m thrilled to be in Orlando. I know that might sound crazy to some people, that I’m excited to go from a contender like the Thunder to a rebuilding team, one that hasn’t made the Playoffs in four years, but playing now for Frank Vogel, a coach who prides himself on defense, is very exciting for me.”

—

Rankings are based on expected contribution in 2016-17—to players’ team, the NBA and the game.

Follow the entire #SLAMTop50 countdown.

The post SLAM Top 50: Serge Ibaka, No. 43 appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka will miss playing for the Thunder—he still hasn’t gotten over blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Golden State Warriors—but is ready to for a fresh start with the Magic.

.@sergeibaka_7 talks about losing to the Warriors and his trade from OKC to Orlando https://t.co/ZNtUXN3YBL pic.twitter.com/4JcrQ68nSL

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 30, 2016

The big fella wants to share what he learned from Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant with his new teammates.

It began in the Congo. Emerged in OKC. Continues in Orlando. This is @sergeibaka_7's story. https://t.co/CfnaETGkeC pic.twitter.com/ID8E81OhTm

— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) August 30, 2016

Per Sports Illustrated and The Players’ Tribune:

I never asked to be traded, even though there was a lot of media conjecture that I was unhappy with my role. I had an exit meeting with Billy Donovan and Sam Presti after the season, and both went well. But this is still a business, everybody has to do what’s best for them, and I let my agent deal with the business side of things. I just focus on basketball. I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to go in and ask for a trade, and I would have been happy staying with the Thunder. Playing in the NBA was my dream, and I’d be happy playing anywhere…

 

Right now, though, I feel like a rookie again. I’m thrilled to be in Orlando. I know that might sound crazy to some people, that I’m excited to go from a contender like the Thunder to a rebuilding team, one that hasn’t made the playoffs in four years, but playing now for Frank Vogel, a coach who prides himself on defense, is very exciting for me. We have a core of like-minded, young, athletic players, which is going to be very fun. We are an old-school, smashmouth team, and I can’t wait to don a Magic uniform on opening night.

 

I’m thankful to God for this opportunity. I’m excited, man! It’s a hard challenge. It won’t be easy. I’m going to work hard, like Russ and KD taught me to. I can’t wait to play in front of the fans in Orlando. How lucky am I to go from one city that loves basketball to another? With Disney World nearby, I know my daughter — Ranie, she’s 10 — is going to love it, too. […] I couldn’t be more excited to play with the young big men in Orlando. There’s a lot of talent on this team. We’re going to be flying around the court this year. I’m looking forward to going to work with them. I’m a different player than when I first came into the league. I understand that it’s time for me to take on a new role. Now I’m going to be one of the veterans.

The post Serge Ibaka: ‘I Never Asked To Be Traded [From Thunder]’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kevin Durant to reporters in NYC on the Ibaka for Oladipo swap: "It's a good move" https://t.co/RvxOvCAfAv pic.twitter.com/wBCORjPXzn

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 28, 2016

Durant says he likes what the Thunder got in return for Ibaka.

The 27-year-old remains tight-lipped on his free agency plans.

Per The Oklahoman:

Durant was predictably mum on his impending free agency — “We’ll figure things out, it’s three days away,” he told reporters — but KD did give his opinion on the Thunder’s most recent transaction.

 

On draft night, OKC traded Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic for D.C. native Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and the draft rights of Domantas Sabonis.

 

“It’s a good move,” Durant told reporters. “I like Oladipo. He’s a good buddy, a friend of mine, and I’m definitely going to miss playing with Serge. He contributed so much to our organization and to the city, and he’s a pioneer for what he’s done for us and it’s always going to be remembered in OKC what he’s done for the community and his hard work on the court, so we wish him the best.”

The post Kevin Durant: Serge Ibaka Trade a ‘Good Move’ appeared first on SLAM.

It’s no secret that the big fella was less than thrilled with his reduced offensive role, and the Thunder front-office reportedly feared he would bolt next summer as a free agent himself.

Time flies. 7 years in Oklahoma City, a place where I grew up, became the player I am today,… https://t.co/JCmMONHOC9

— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka9) June 24, 2016

Serge Ibaka did defensive dirty work for years. Did he care about shots? Yes. But he was professional. Not a locker room problem.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 24, 2016

Concern was that his growing frustration with reduced offensive role (which was likely to reduce more) meant he'd leave in free agency.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 24, 2016

Ibaka, 26, finishes his Thunder career with 1,300 blocked shots.

Per CBS:

For a team that won 55 games and finished one win shy of the NBA Finals, it was a stunningly significant shakeup. Ibaka, 26, had been a key component of the Thunder’s core for seven years alongside Durant and Russell Westbrook.

 

But Ibaka had grown unhappy with his role, a person familiar with the situation said, and was considered likely to leave as an unrestricted free agent in 2017. Though Ibaka had not requested a trade, it was reasonable to expect that such a request could be on the horizon. […] Facing a similar situation with James Harden in 2012, Oklahoma City didn’t wait to be backed into a corner with no leverage. The Thunder traded Harden to the Houston Rockets, who promptly signed him to a five-year, $80 million extension. Since then, the Rockets have made one Western Conference finals to the Thunder’s two.

 

Ibaka has one season and $12.3 million left on his deal, and with the salary cap soaring to at least $109 million in 2017, he would’ve been in peak demand. Rather than wait that situation out and try to repair it — as they did with Reggie Jackson before finally sending him to the Detroit Pistons in 2015 — the Thunder tried once again to get ahead of the problem.

The post Serge Ibaka Reportedly Unhappy With Role in OKC Prior to Trade appeared first on SLAM.

The Magic are reportedly sending Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and the draft rights to Domantas Sabonis to Oklahoma City for Serge Ibaka.

Woj and The Vertical had it first:

Oklahoma City has traded Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic, league sources told @TheVertical.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2016

The trade of Ibaka comes one week before Durant enters free agency. In parting with their longtime forward, the Thunder improved their depth, picking up a potential starting guard in Oladipo, a forward with 3-point range in Ilyasova and a promising young center in Sabonis. OKC still has Steven Adams and Enes Kanter to help anchor their frontline.

The post Report: Serge Ibaka Traded to Orlando Magic appeared first on SLAM.

In one of the best postseason games in recent memory, the Warriors embarked on a late 9-0 run to steal victory from the Thunder at the Chesapeake Arena. Despite Russell Westbrook’s best efforts (28 points, 11 dimes, 9 boards), Klay Thompson was simply too much for OKC to handle. Thompson hit an NBA postseason record 11 3-pointers and finished with 41 points, propelling the Warriors to a deciding Game 7 at Oracle Arena. After the game, Thompson described his feelings succinctly:

“What a game. What a game. The NBA should thank us for that game.”

"Look at this catch-and-release, are you kidding me?!"- @realchriswebber https://t.co/ZFuWVXjft5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2016

Despite finishing with 29 points, Kevin Durant shot a woeful 10-31 from the field while committing a crucial turnover late in regulation. Golden State received double-doubles from Draymond Green (14 points, 12 boards) and Stephen Curry in the winning effort (20 points, 10 rebounds). Tonight’s stunning development has set up a Game 7 showdown on Memorial Day…who can be mad at that?

Thoughts on Game 7, Steph and Draymond?https://t.co/iWjy4nvqsB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2016

The post Post Up: Going Seven appeared first on SLAM.

The post WATCH: Serge Ibaka Hits And-one After Insane Sequence appeared first on SLAM.

The post WATCH: Serge Ibaka Blocks Harrison Barnes appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors entered Game 3 with a chance to prove their previous home loss to be a fluke; instead, they were dismantled by KD/Russ and the Thunder, at one point trailing by 39 points in a rout at the Chesapeake Arena. Durant totaled 33 points with eight boards while Westbrook came two rebounds short of a triple-double in a masterful three-quarter performance.

Russ scored 2 of his 30 points on this Eurostep…came within 2 rebounds of a triple-double https://t.co/uAeOV1CNjp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2016

Golden State exceeded 100 points on 41.3 percent shooting, but allowed 45 third quarter points; the highest total OKC has ever scored in any playoff quarter. More concerning, perhaps, was Draymond Green’s apparent low blow to Steven Adams. While the on-court ruling was limited to a Flagrant-1 against Green, the league will almost certainly levy some sort of penalty against the former Spartan. As noted on the TNT broadcast, Dahntay Jones of the Cavaliers was recently suspended for his low blow against Bismack Biyombo. A suspension to Green, however, would have a far greater impact on the Western Conference Finals outcome.

.@Money23Green weighs in on his controversial kick… https://t.co/6NgLLS3BIS

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 23, 2016

Now enjoying a 2-1 series lead, the Thunder will look to capitalize on their momentum in Tuesday’s Game 4 match-up at home.

The post Post Up: Thunder Seize Momentum appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors are down by three touchdowns and a field goal (80-56) in the third quarter, and may soon want to think about resting their starters in anticipation of Game 4.

The post Serge Ibaka Puts Festus Ezeli on a Poster (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Another early OKC highlight:

Russ kicks out to Dre for 3! Thunder UP 19-13 midway through 1st. https://t.co/D24DiGQvW8

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 23, 2016

The post WATCH: Serge Ibaka Forces Timeout with Two-Handed Slam appeared first on SLAM.

The post Dion Waiters Dishes to Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The post WATCH: Kevin Durant Lobs to Serge Ibaka appeared first on SLAM.

The post Serge Ibaka Grabs Ball Off Glass to Score (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The Greek Freak finished with his third triple-double of the season, posting 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

All of that still wasn’t enough for the Milwaukee Bucks, who fell 104-96 to visiting OKC, largely thanks to the play of Kevin Durant (32 points, 12 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (triple-double No. 10 on the season).

Per the AP:

“We had a couple of lulls in the game here and there, but for the most part we were solid all night. They didn’t get nothing easy,” Durant said. […] Westbrook finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the Thunder, who led by 21 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter before nearly getting overrun by the Bucks.

 

Antetokounmpo picked up his third triple-double of the season with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. (Jabari) Parker had 26 points and shot 12 of 23 from the field.

 

“When you look at Oklahoma City, they’re veteran guys who have gone through the process that Giannis and Jabari are going through,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We can take that path because those two are both pretty talented. I think Giannis and Jabari can do that.”

The post WATCH: Giannis Antetokounmpo Dunks on Serge Ibaka appeared first on SLAM.

The Mavs had one last shot, but Wes Matthews heaved up this crazy shot (below) and the Thunder won, 117-114 at home:

The post Serge Ibaka’s Clutch Block on Deron Williams (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The Thunder big man had been wagging his finger out of respect for Dikembe Mutombo, but thought it was time for his own post-highlight routine.

The inspiration comes from the gesture supposedly used to take a gladiator’s life during the reign of the Roman Empire.

Thunder center Steven Adams approves of the change, but recently joked that a thumbs up would be more demoralizing to the opponent.

Steven Adams on Serge's thumbs down block celebration: "Thumbs up would be more insulting to them. Like, hey, good try."

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 14, 2015

Ibaka recorded a season-high 7 rejections against Philly on Saturday, and fans are already having fun with the celebration.

Serge Ibaka Block Counter:

— Boomtown Hoops (@BoomtownHoops) November 14, 2015

From the Oklahoman:

Then there’s Serge Ibaka, the elite shot-blocker who, for years, has gone with the finger wag after authoritative swats. But that’s a Dikembe Mutombo thing from back in the day. Ibaka is close to Mutombo and, it seems, wanted to switch it up.

 

“You know that’s my big brother’s,” Ibaka said. “Dikembe Mutombo. So I got mine now.”

 

Mine would be the thumbs down celebration Ibaka has been doing the first four games after big blocks. It’s been a hit with the fans, who like the creativity and have compared it to a famous scene from the movie ‘Gladiator.’

The post Serge Ibaka Says ‘Gladiator’ Inspired His New Block Celebration appeared first on SLAM.

The post James Harden Viciously Blocks Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

A physical presence who provides a deterrent in the paint on defense, while still having the mojo to go hard on O—he’s top 60 in the League in scoring—most of his stats are gained off the muscle. He seems to have no problem playing the role of third wheel and has the potential to be a double-double guy.

The 2013-14 season—his fifth in the League—saw Ibaka make his biggest step forward. He posted career highs in points (15.1), rebounds (8.8), steals (0.5) and assists (1).

Last season, he was again posting similar numbers with an added aspect to his game. Already possessing a solid mid-range jumper, Serge upped the ante by incorporating a three-point shot, essentially stretching defenses.

He attempted 205 three-point shots, 145 more than he took in 2013-14 season, in 34 less games, while shooting a solid 37 percent from long range. In comparison, KD shot 40 percent from downtown.

Ibaka missed the final 18 games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to tend to lingering soreness in his knee. With Durant out due to a season-ending foot injury, OKC missed the Playoffs for the first time in Serge’s tenure with the team.

With a successful surgery under his belt, the PF and his band of brothers are looking make a deep run in the postseason in this upcoming season.

Still, questions remain for the former first-round round pick heading into the upcoming season.

Will he be hampered by a knee injury that prematurely ended his season in 2014-15? As the old saying goes, time heals all wounds, both literally and figuratively. Ibaka will have had eight months of solid rehab to get back into peak shape for the season.

He was held out of an NBA exhibition in Africa in August, but that was more than likely just a precaution. By the time the season rolls around in October, expect Serge to be in go mode.

Will his increased three-point output stretch defenses or offset the team’s balance?

Last season, Ibaka’s three-point attempts were way up. Was this more of a function of Durant’s absence? Or will Billy Donovan fully incorporate the big man’s new comfortability from beyond the arc into the offense when KD returns?

In the past couple of years, Ibaka has been one of the better big men when it comes to consistently knocking down the mid-range jumper in the pick-and-pop game, especially in ’12-13. Taking it a step further out could open clogged arteries in the paint allowing Westbrook and Durant to work their magic.

The 2015-16 Thunder are also looking at an upgraded three-big rotation with the edition of Enes Kanter and the return of defender Steven Adams who both compliment the all-purpose game of Ibaka.

The Congo kid dropped five spots from last year’s list. But expect a solid season from the seven-year vet. And don’t be surprised if at the end of the year when you look at the stat sheet you are seeing double (double).

Rankings are based on expected contribution in 2015-16—to players’ team, the NBA and the game.

The post SLAM Top 50: Serge Ibaka, no. 36 appeared first on SLAM.

Barnes brought up a couple of incidents from the past, using them to point out that he thinks Ibaka is a “dirty” player.

"He's just dirty" – Matt Barnes on Serge Ibaka. "…He hit Blake in the nuts twice."

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 28, 2015

"He hit Blake in the nuts twice. We're grown men."- Barnes talking about Ibaka @929espn w/ @ChrisVernonShow pic.twitter.com/rHLHvvik5x

— 929ESPN (@929espn) July 28, 2015

Barnes is looking forward to facing his former team, saying that going up against his old LA Clippers teammates promises to be “amazing”.

He also offered his two cents on the DeAndre Jordan free agency disaster.

"Getting to play the Clippers is going to be amazing," Barnes to @ChrisVernonShow

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 28, 2015

Barnes on DJ situation — "I told him he maybe made an emotional decision wanting to jump ship….I knew his heart was in LA."

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 28, 2015

Related
Serge Ibaka Ready to Fight Matt Barnes After Winning a Title (VIDEO)

The post Matt Barnes Calls Serge Ibaka ‘Dirty’ appeared first on SLAM.

TMZ accosted Ibaka for a rebuttal on a Hollywood street Tuesday night, and Serge says he’s ready and willing to knuckle up, but that he must first win an NBA championship and pad his bank account.

Next season’s Thunder-Grizzlies games promise to be fun.

The post Serge Ibaka Ready to Fight Matt Barnes After Winning a Title (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Asked about their tussle Tuesday, Barnes—now a member of the Memphis Grizzlies—said he’d be willing to throw down with the big fella anytime, anywhere.

Ibaka, for his part, jokingly invited Barnes to meet him in the Octagon to settle their differences.

"Me and Serge can fight right now if he was here, I just don't like him." Matt Barnes explains himself on the show. pic.twitter.com/ozRko1oyqA

— SportsNation (@SportsNation) July 21, 2015

Matt Barnes says he would fight Serge Ibaka RIGHT NOW! "He [thinks] he's the toughest guy on the planet, he's not." http://t.co/wIdC6XG5i1

— SportsNation (@SportsNation) July 21, 2015

@danawhite @ufc are you interested? LOL https://t.co/tgXNbDxBPq

— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka9) July 21, 2015

The post WATCH: Matt Barnes Would Fight Serge Ibaka ‘Right Now’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to a report from ESPN.com’s Royce Young, Ibaka needs to have his sore knee operated on. It’s being called a “clean-out procedure” to fix his ailing sore knee, and the team hasn’t set a time table for his return just yet. So far this season, the 25-year-old big man is averaging 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

More details:

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka will undergo a knee procedure to address some persistent soreness, sources told ESPN.com.

 

It is not clear how long Ibaka will be sidelined following the surgery.

 

Ibaka has missed the Thunder’s past two games with what the team has called knee soreness. He will see a specialist for further evaluation, with the expectation for him to have a clean-out procedure in order to be ready for the postseason.

 

The Thunder have not confirmed that Ibaka will undergo the surgery, saying in a statement Monday that they have sent him to a specialist.

 

“As we continue to monitor and evaluate the soreness in Serge’s knee, in consultation with his representation, we decided the next best step is to have him travel to New York to see a specialist,” a team spokesman said. “We will provide an update as appropriate.”

UPDATE (Tuesday, 4:35 p.m.): The Thunder have announced that Ibaka had successful surgery and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks while recovering. At four weeks, Ibaka would miss the entire remainder of the regular season. From the team:

News: Serge Ibaka had successful arthroscopic surgery today to address right knee soreness. Out approx 4-6 weeks. pic.twitter.com/HLUFNhITnY

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 17, 2015

The post Report: Serge Ibaka to Undergo Knee Procedure (UPDATE) appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka escaped war-torn Congo as a youth, and in the flick (which will air on ESPN April 17), he returns to his native country and its realities.

From the synopsis:

Twenty-four-year-old Serge Ibaka’s improbable journey has taken him from the war-torn streets of Congo to the top echelon of the NBA. In Son of the Congo, Ibaka returns home to recount the poignant story of his childhood and confront a stark reality faced by a new generation of Congolese youth.

 

Not content to settle for photo ops, Ibaka revisits the neighborhoods where he once slept in empty lots and practiced basketball without shoes. With grace and generosity, Ibaka receives and supports an endless stream of friends and strangers who hope he can change their lives.

 

The odds are long, but Ibaka shares an unshakeable faith that a better future is only possible if you never stop trying.

RELATED: Our feature on Serge Ibaka and his charity work in his native Republic of the Congo.

The post Trailer for Serge Ibaka’s Documentary ‘Son of the Congo’ (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Russell Westbrook led the way with a game-high 34 points, and handed out 10 dimes.

Serge Ibaka was also spectacular, as he registered 21 points and a career-high 22 rebounds (the first 20-20 game in the Oklahoma City era.)

The victory pushed the Thunder into a tie with the Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final Playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Per The Oklahoman:

“(Ibaka) was huge,” Kevin Durant said. “I didn’t even know he was rebounding that well until I looked up and he had 16 at the end of the third. He was everywhere.”

 

On a night where the Thunder could’ve struggled with a lack of energy, sapped by the loss of locker room leader Kendrick Perkins, and a lack of rhythm, because of the eight-day All-Star break layoff, OKC lacked neither. Dallas, back at near full strength, did. And the Thunder pounced, punctuated by Russell Westbrook’s 34 points and 10 assists, but led by Ibaka.

 

In the coming days, with (Steven) Adams a couple weeks away from a return and Enes Kanter expected to arrive on Friday, the Thunder’s crop of big men will replenish. Ibaka will primarily slide back into that power forward role. He won’t have as big a rebounding burden. His spacing will again hold greater importance.

The post Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka Dominate the Mavs (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The post Serge Ibaka Does Mutombo Finger Wag After Blocking Carlos Boozer (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Gay’s dunk wasn’t enough, however, as the visiting OKC Thunder went home with a 104-92 victory against the Sacramento Kings.

The post Rudy Gay Posterizes Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Toward the end of June of 2014, a crew of adidas-endorsed NBA players—Ricky Rubio, Joakim Noah, Harrison Barnes and John Wall—boarded a plane and began a trip that the foursome will surely remember forever. The group’s destination was Rio de Janeiro, where they watched a pair of World Cup games, ate steak at the renowned Churrascaria Palace, took a helicopter tour of the city and played pick-up fútbol on a gorgeous Brazilian beach.

If it sounds like the kind of getaway any sane human would want to experience, that’s because it was exactly that. But Serge Ibaka, another Three Stripes-repping NBAer, passed on the opportunity. Not because he’s insane, but because he had somewhere else to be: about 4,100 miles northeast, in the Republic of the Congo, a country in west-central Africa where poverty runs rampant and decent health care is tremendously difficult to come by—if it’s available at all.

Ibaka was raised in the city of Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo. Like many NBA athletes, he returns home every summer. It’s a little different for him, though. Lots of guys were brought up in rough environs, and their ability to make it out and achieve whatever it is they have achieved is nothing short of miraculous. And yet: Ibaka’s story is a little different.

Scratch that: It’s extremely different. His path to becoming a perpetual Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a vital piece on a title contender—the recent injury woes that have clouded Oklahoma City’s future notwithstanding—wasn’t just miraculous. It was damn near impossible. And Serge doesn’t sound like he’s about to let the end of that path cause him to forget the beginning.

***

When Ibaka was 7 years old, literally the day after kids in the United States had watched Michael Jordan put up 38 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists in Game 2 of the 1997 NBA Finals, the politically fueled War of 5 June broke out in the Republic of the Congo—violence flooded the streets of Brazzaville, bombs being dropped all over the city.

In the following two years, Ibaka’s mother passed away and the Second Congo War began. (It’s said that the Second Congo War was the bloodiest war since War World II, with a final death count above 5 million.)

Serge’s family—he has 17 siblings though he didn’t grow up with all of them—fled to the small town of Ouessa during the war. He lived there for a few years before returning to Brazzaville. They would scrounge for necessities; running water and electricity were scarce, and food was expensive, so at times Serge would hang out near restaurants as they were closing, hoping those who worked at the establishments would toss him some scraps they were planning on otherwise throwing out.

When the family did make its way back to the capital around 2002, Serge’s father, Desire, returned to his former job working at a port on the border of the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The local DRC government scooped up Desire and imprisoned him for what was essentially a “wrong place, wrong time” offense, and Serge spent months living with his grandmother without knowing if his father was even alive. He was freed over half a year later.

Desire Ibaka meant a lot to Serge. Desire taught Serge the game of basketball—he had previously met Serge’s mother through the sport, as she played in the neighboring DRC, the home of Dikembe Mutombo. As a young child, Serge would sit on the sideline of a beat-up court in Brazzaville while his father would hoop; years later, Serge would elect to wear 9, the same number his pops once wore.

“My dad wanted me to be an equal basketball player [as him],” he says. “So when I started playing basketball a little bit, he would give me his jersey. I’d start wearing his jersey to go play basketball, and I just started falling more in love.”

Naturally, there was little access to NBA games. Ibaka knew of guys like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, but it wasn’t until years later that an older friend of his showed him a videotape filled with Kevin Garnett highlights—from then on, he was a full-blown KG fanatic.

He first played for the club Avenir du Rail in Brazzaville at age 16, then at 17 moved to France, taking the first opportunity he had to get out of his war-torn country; a few months later he’d get situated playing pro ball in Spain.

During the summer of 2007, the agency You First Sports brought Ibaka to the US. His first stop was Las Vegas, where he trained with Joe Abunassar, with whom he still works out. Abunassar also happens to be the long-time trainer of Kevin Garnett, who was in the gym during Ibaka’s first visit.

“After the first workout, I called the guys who sent him, and I said, I don’t know what kind of contract you’re gonna sign this guy to overseas, but don’t make it too long,” says Abunassar. “He was amazing.”

The Thunder selected Ibaka at No. 24 in the 2008 Draft, though the 6-10 power forward would spend another year in Spain before joining the franchise. In OKC, he rose from rotation player averaging 18 minutes per his rookie year to his current role: a starting big man and a defensive force averaging 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in 2014-15, his sixth season.

While Serge was back in the Brazzaville last summer, he walked into a refuge camp to find glaring needs: Hundreds of people were without both food and water.

“I’m not going to give the amount,” says Bill Horn, co-founder of Pros For Africa, an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit organization that works with Serge, “but he went to the bank and got a very large sum of money, and had water and food delivered. He doesn’t just go over there and say, ‘Let’s do this, let’s do that.’ He gets right into it. He’s hands on.”

It’s not easy to compile a comprehensive list of all the charity-related things Serge does for his home country, but here’s an attempt:

He works with UNICEF to fix up a pair of orphanages—one girls, one boys—and to make sure those who live there have what they need: educational resources, health care supplies and more.

He works with the aforementioned Pros For Africa and Project C.U.R.E., who will be bringing a six-figure sum worth of medical equipment to the country.

He works with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, providing hearing aids for children, many of whom don’t know the technology to fix their deficiency exists in the first place. Ibaka sizes the aids onto kids himself. “Serge actually wound up fitting a couple of children—not just children, but teenagers—who had lost their hearing from some of the fighting with the rebels,” says Brady Forseth, executive director of Starkey. “They had lost hearing from explosions and grenades and all of that stuff, and he restored their hearing. It was very emotional for him. To be quite honest, I think he was holding back some tears.”

He also fixed up that same beat-up basketball court that Desire Ibaka once ran up and down—the dirt floor has been replaced by proper blacktop, and the crooked, net-less rims have been subbed out in favor of FIBA-official baskets, shipped over from Spain.

Though all of the scattered charity work is now going to be under one umbrella—the Serge Ibaka Foundation—it won’t be slowing down anytime soon. “Even before I started playing basketball and making money, I would always come back and give back to people,” Ibaka says. “That’s what I always wanted to do.”

Individually, at least, Ibaka has begun this season strong, if not remarkable. “I think he’s going to have a monster year,” says Caron Butler, who played alongside Ibaka in OKC in ’13-14. “He really understands the game, from a defensive standpoint and an offensive standpoint, how to get to his spots and be consistent and make shots. I think he’s hungrier after last year, knowing the importance of what he means to that organization.”

About that importance: During a series-clinching win against the Los Angeles Clippers on May 15 in ’13-14’s Western Conference semifinals, Ibaka went down with a bad calf injury—doctors speculated he would be off the floor for many weeks, through the remainder of the postseason. The Spurs won the first two games—by scores of 122-105 and 112-77—of the subsequent conference finals (and eventually the entire thing), but via some kind of scientific phenomenon, Ibaka was back by Game 3, on May 26. He went for 15 points, 7 boards and 4 blocks in 30 minutes, helping OKC earn a 106-97 victory that salvaged their season, if only for a little longer.“I knew that from a treatment perspective he was doing everything you could possibly do, plus 100,” Abunassar says.

What became evident is this: The Thunder need Serge Ibaka. They need Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, too (duh, man), but without their reliable man in the middle, their chance against teams like the San Antonio Spurs and the L.A.  Clippers dwindles from whatever it is to nothing at all.

“My goal is to be Defensive Player of the Year and be an All-Star, that’s my dream,” Ibaka says. “That’s why I’m coming to the gym—for that. I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but that’s my dream. And I’m going to keep working hard to make my dreams come true.”

An All-Star bid will be tough (at least this year, but at just 25 years old, there’s plenty of time for that), and Defensive Player of the Year is probably a long shot, but a crucial role on a team that’ll remain relevant into the spring is almost guaranteed. (If they can squeeze into the postseason—the finally healthy team sits at 11-13 as of this writing—imagine how dangerous a 6-, 7- or 8-seeded Thunder squad would be.) In that case, he’ll keep proving that importance through April, May, maybe even June. And then in July, he’ll be back in Brazzaville, where his importance … well, that’s just not a strong enough word.

“There’s more work to do,” he says. And there is.

Adam Figman is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @afigman.

More features from SLAM 184:

John Wall is having the time of his life—at least when he’s not busy breaking down overmatched opponents.

Following a decade of spreading the floor for others, Kyle Korver is finally seeing some long-overdue star treatment of his own.

The post Never Satisfied appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka, it should be noted, erased one of Drummond’s dunk attempts earlier in the game.

The post Andre Drummond Posterizes Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

This isn’t to say that you should attempt an extreme roster makeover if you believe that everything went your way in the draft. If you believe in your team, stick with it. The two biggest mistakes fantasy basketball owners can make early in the season are falling in love with players exceeding expectations, or falling out of love with players failing to meet them, based on a bad box score or two. In both cases, there is a chance of progression or regression to the mean. Everything is magnified given a smaller sample size, and the owners who best decipher which players are a long-term solution will give themselves the best shot at a championship.

Times are Changing

Despite it being such a young season, we have already witnessed how destructive a new team structure can be to any player’s fantasy value. Who was bold enough to draft Kevin Love or Kyrie Irving high in the draft after witnessing the sacrifices made by Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami? The Cleveland Cavaliers’ big three is still gelling, and it’s hard to make any firm determinations about Irving’s or Love’s value this early. All we know so far is that Irving is somehow averaging fewer assists now despite playing with Love and LeBron James. And on the other hand, Bosh and Wade are making more of an impact for their fantasy owners than they have in quite some time.

Meanwhile in Milwaukee, John Henson is struggling to find the court, thanks to new coach Jason Kidd, who for some reason doesn’t see value in a 23-year-old who averaged 11 points, 7 boards and 1.7 blocks in just 26 minutes last season. While Kidd would rather give veteran Zaza Pachulia additional minutes, eventually Henson (or the front office) is going to force Kidd’s hand. As of now, it’s probably hard to keep Henson on your roster, but keep a close eye on his minutes moving forward. His situation is an especially strong reminder that the circumstances surrounding a player can at times be as important to that player’s success as his abilities are, and that these circumstances can change in the blink of an eye.

The Phoenix Suns, for example, added guard Isaiah Thomas over the offseason, creating a trio of dynamic point guards. While the team looks to be benefiting from the move, fantasy owners are not. Goran Dragic is not playing any worse than last year, but his numbers are and will be down. If you own Dragic, it would be smart to see if you can get last year-level value for him in a trade. Thomas and Eric Bledsoe have seen a similarly expected numbers drop. It’s important to note that none of the three are bad options even as currently constructed, but owners need to keep their value (and expectations) in perspective.

Frigid Starts (Buy Low)

Several players already present an excellent buy-low opportunity. A couple rough weeks to start the season can be just enough to make an impatient owner worry about their investment. The most obvious buy-low candidate thus far is Andre Drummond, who is almost certain to return to last year’s form at the very least. His field-goal percentage currently sits 20 percentage points lower than the last two seasons, which is a strong sign of an impending rise. He’ll never hit his free throws, but this is without a doubt the time to make a move to acquire the big man. If you already own him, don’t panic and stick with him.

If commissioner Adam Silver is even making snide remarks about the Knicks, you know trouble is brewing. Carmelo Anthony probably should have gone to the Chicago Bulls if he wanted to win a Championship, but he stayed in New York and was nevertheless projected to continue to put up elite numbers. As it stands, Melo is off to the slowest start of his career as he learns a new system and familiarizes himself with new teammates. This won’t last, but owners will have to wait it out and deal with lower numbers than usual across the board for the time being.

When he has been on the court this season, Derrick Rose has definitely passed the eye test and showed flashes of being as explosive and quick as ever before. His value has taken a slight hit so far due to a couple minor ankle sprains, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Rose at a truly elite level by mid-season and for the fantasy playoffs. Try and pounce on him in your league and see if his owner is feeling overly nervous about Rose’s missed time and past. It is possible he could be had for a price you can live with. Sometimes, you really do need to take a risk to take a title, and in this case Rose might not be as much of an injury risk as it seems. If you drafted him, stick with him.

Oklahoma City is in a difficult spot with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook sidelined, and it has led to a somewhat slow start for Serge Ibaka. On one unexpected hand, Ibaka is lighting it up from three-point land, attempting over 4 per game and hitting 40 percent (compared to just 0.7 attempts per game the last two years). This is an impressive attempt to fill an offensive void, but it has actually hurt his overall field-goal percentage and the defensive statistics he was probably drafted for. It’s hard to believe that his rebounding rate and the blocked shots won’t get back to normal soon, but owners should keep this new Serge’s style in mind when managing their lineups.

Fool’s Gold

Darren Collison, the Sacramento Kings’ new starting point guard, is off to a red-hot start, but sometimes an ugly duckling doesn’t become a swan after five seasons. OK, maybe ugly duckling is a little harsh; Collison has always been a solid point guard, but that’s all that should be expected from him moving forward. If you have been the lucky benefactor of Collison’s increased numbers across the board, and aren’t a die-hard Kings fan, now is the perfect time to sell high.

Collison is just one of many players across the NBA who will tease fantasy owners with an explosive start, making them completely forget how early it is in the season. Brandon Knight has taken the reigns in Milwaukee under the guide of Jason Kidd, but if you are planning on counting on him to retain his current averages, you might end up disappointed. While Knight’s improvement is not a fluke, the rate of ascension seems too good to be true and he is bound to have some ups and downs as he continues to learn the game.

Remarkably, Tony Wroten is putting up fantastic stats so far, averaging over 21.9 ppg on 44.1 percent shooting, to go along with over 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals per game. The downside with Wroten has been his 63 percent at the charity stripe and an abysmal 4 turnovers per game. His value is nevertheless certainly at its apex. With Michael Carter-Williams returning, Wroten will be handling the ball a lot less and is guaranteed to see a drop in production. Try and sell high, and if you can’t get a return you are happy with, keep him on the bench as a backup.

Back on Track

Roy Hibbert was an obvious draft day value this season after suffering through the worst stretch of his career last season. Appearing both physically and mentally drained, Hibbert shouldered a lot of the blame for the Pacers’ late-season collapse. Whatever the problems were, previous seasons indicated a certain comeback to the norm, and that’s what we have witnessed so far. If you can find a way to acquire him from somebody fearing another Hibbert collapse, do it. It’s not going to happen this year.

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders had a disastrous year, but there are clear indications that he is on track to return to the form that earned him a four-year, $44 million contract. His per-minute averages for blocks and rebounds are back up, and Sanders is a great piece for any fantasy owner, especially for those who drafted him in the late rounds this year and are feeling pretty smart right now.

Rookie Meter

There hasn’t been much to talk about from a fantasy perspective when it comes to the new rookie class. Nerlens Noel has impressed and is going to surpass his average draft position as he gains momentum. He has a leash as long as the Great Wall of China for the rebuilding Sixers, and is a great source of blocked shots. Jabari Parker seems to be worthy as a bench option on fantasy rosters, but his inconsistency and Jason Kidd’s minutes distribution for the Bucks will make him a risky play at times

Up in Minnesota, Andrew Wiggins has struggled to adapt to the NBA. While he remains very valuable in keeper leagues, you shouldn’t expect him to provide much value at all this season. Of more interest in Minnesota right now is Zach LaVine, who has been thrust into the spotlight and could be a useful play at times, at least until Ricky Rubio returns from his injury. His potential is additionally appetizing in all keeper leagues.

Quick Bits

Anthony Davis has reached elite status with emphasis, DeMarcus Cousins still doesn’t have a technical foul, Pau Gasol is rejuvenated in Chicago while Carlos Boozer is definitely not with the Lakers. Chris Bosh is reminding us all that he sacrificed a TON for Miami the last four seasons, Lance Stephenson is redefining the term “shooting” guard, Kobe Bryant is showing people that he can actually attempt even more shots than what was previously thought, and Kyle Korver is, in the immortal words of Marv Albert, on fire. It’s going to be a long and sensational season, and hopefully you’re in it for the long haul with a fantasy basketball championship on the horizon.

For advice on your fantasy team, post questions in the comments section.

Dan Hanna is SLAM’s weekly fantasy basketball columnist and a life-long Bulls fan. Follow him on Twitter @i_am_danhan.

The post Fantasy Basketball: Fall of The Dragon? appeared first on SLAM.

Ibaka grew up a product of the war-torn Republic of Congo’s capital city, Brazzaville, where most of the inhabitants live on just about a dollar per day. Ibaka is one of 18 children of parents who both were national team basketball players. He overcame two civil wars, extreme poverty, displacement, the passing of his mother and imprisonment of his father to become his country’s first NBA player.

Much of Congo’s rich oil and mineral resources are exported and the general population has little to show for it. Ibaka is the one jewel that continually invests back to the people. He has led countless humanitarian efforts to improve the conditions in his homeland. Recently he was recognized by the Clinton Global Citizen Awards for his efforts as he partnered with Starkey Hearing Foundation to combat hearing loss. In April he was the recipient of the NBA’s Kia Community Assist Award for his financial support of two orphanages. He’s become a fixture to the Basketball Without Borders program.

His ascension on the court has been nearly as remarkable. He first played organized basketball at 16 years old. He arrived in Spain to play professionally where he taught himself Spanish. After two pro years in Spain and a strong showing at Eurocamp, he burst on the scene, which led to Ibaka being selected with the 24th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. At that time, Ibaka was more known for his incredible athleticism and huge wingspan. Ibaka flashed perimeter skills and defensive prowess. Scouts had concerns about his footwork and lean frame negatively impacting his post play and rebounding. For General Manager Sam Presti it was a gamble worth taking.

Ibaka has fortified himself as a valuable member of the Western Conference’s “Big Three” for the Thunder. Last season, Ibaka set career-high totals in assists, steals, rebounds, made three-pointers, free-throw percentage, points, field-goals made and minutes played. Ibaka also impressed the analytic purists by setting personal bests with his player efficiency rating (33rd in the NBA) and win shares (tied for 26th in the League).

Entering into his sixth season, Ibaka has blossomed into the game’s best defensive power forward. He led the League in defensive impact last season and was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First-Team for the third consecutive year. Ibaka has tallied the most blocked shots in the NBA the past four seasons as well as three of the last four NBA Playoffs. He held opponents to 45 percent proficiency at the rim last season.

On the glass, Ibaka has emerged as a double-double machine, collecting a career-high 29 double-doubles—nearly twice the tally of the prior season—good for 21st best. Last season, Ibaka averaged a shade under 9 rebounds per game, up a full rebound from the prior year. He was 15th in rebounding opportunities with a contested rebound percentage of 43.6 percent.

The big story is how Ibaka has emerged as an offensive weapon. He has consistently shot over 53 percent from the floor and has now extended his shooting range to become a perimeter threat. This has opened up the lane for Russell Westbrook and league MVP, Kevin Durant. Two seasons ago, Ibaka was the best mid-range shooter in basketball, shooting 49.4 percent (minimum of 300 attempts). His accuracy dipped slightly last season largely in part to his increased attempts, on average, two more shots per game. He did manage to improve his accuracy from both 10-14 feet and 20-24 feet. Nonetheless even with some regression in proficiency, Ibaka was still in the league’s top 20 with 438 catch-and-shoot points, hitting at a higher clip than Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Klay Thompson and Dirk Nowitzki.

Serge Ibaka stands behind 30 players in the #SLAMTop50, but not for much longer.

Now 25 years old, he’s entering the prime of his career. Already he has developed into a great teammate, defensive force and viable offensive weapon; it’s just the tip of the iceberg for this immense talent. There’s a resiliency that enabled him to defy the odds to get to where he is. It’s the same resiliency that refused the prognosis that he would be sidelined two months with a calf injury before the start of the Western Conference finals; it fueled him to return for Game 3. His commitment level is unmatched, both on the court and when it comes to giving back to where he’s from.

 
Rankings are based on expected contribution in ’14-15—to players’ team, the NBA and the game.

The post #SLAMTop50: Serge Ibaka, no. 31 appeared first on SLAM.

2013-14 NBA All-Defensive First Team

Center | Joakim Noah, Chicago 

Forward | Paul George, Indiana 

Guard | Chris Paul, LA Clippers 

Forward | Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City 

G/F | Andre Iguodala, Golden State 

 

2013-14 NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Forward | LeBron James, Miami

Guard | Patrick Beverley, Houston

Guard | Jimmy Butler, Chicago 

Forward | Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio

Center | Roy Hibbert, Indiana

The post NBA Announces All-Defense Teams appeared first on SLAM.

The post Kawhi Leonard Dunks All Over Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Photos via USA Today

Previously:
Week of May 16 – May 22
Week of May 9  – May 15

The post 10 Best NBA Photos Of The Week appeared first on SLAM.

The post Cory Joseph Posterizes Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The post Kawhi Leonard Throws Down a Huge Jam, Posterizes Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The post Serge Ibaka’s Return Helps Ignite Thunder in Game 3 (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

It seems the San Antonio Spurs were on to something last week.

They prepared for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals as if Serge Ibaka would play. Tony Parker and Co. remained unconvinced of the announcements that the Oklahoma City Thunder forward was likely to miss the remainder of the season with a calf injury. The announcement held true for Games 1 and 2, in which the Spurs blew out the Thunder in San Antonio.

Come time for Game 3, however, Serge Ibaka was in the starting lineup. All those wishes of a speedy recovery did the guy well (and like, the OKC medical/training staff too). He scored 15 points on 6-7 shooting, grabbed 7 boards, and slapped away multiple shots for 4 blocks.

Ibaka’s presence was surely felt. He helped his Thunder out-rebound San Antonio 52-36 and provided an interior defense that held the Spurs to 40 points in the paint—two categories the vets previously dominated in Games 1 and 2.

Naturally, when the points can’t be scored inside, you go outside. Manu Ginobili did just that. He sank 6 three-pointers on 9 attempts to finish the game with 23 points. He had 20 in the first half, which ended with a back and forth three-point shootout between himself and Russell Westbrook. Russ had the final say with this near half-court shot:

Utilizing his three-point shot and other handles, Westbrook finished with 26 points to lead all scorers. Kevin Durant was not too far behind, providing 25 points and 10 boards for the Thunder, who’ve now recorded their first win of the series. So any of you who prematurely took out your brooms, put them away.

Along with Ibaka’s return, another shift in the starting lineup proved beneficial for the Thunder. Off-the-bench energizer Reggie Jackson started Game 3 last night and contributed 15 points.

With only one full day and some hours until Game 4 tomorrow at 9 p.m. EST, Ibaka has much less time to recover from last night (he was noticeably limping after being pulled out in the fourth when OKC comfortably sealed the deal). Nevertheless, his return was heroic and needed. Everyone knows that once a team goes down 3-0 in the NBA Playoffs, the series is as good as over. Ibaka played a huge role in preventing that fate for a team he strongly believes in.

I still believe that my teammates are gonna make it happen #ThunderUp

— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka9) May 22, 2014

The post Post Up: Resurgence appeared first on SLAM.

Serge Ibaka has rapidly progressed and Thunder have changed status to day-to-day for Western Conference Finals, league source tells Yahoo.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 23, 2014

OKC ran Ibaka through battery of tests on Thursday and his calf responded well. Still soreness but a Sunday Game 3 return is possible.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 23, 2014

The post Serge Ibaka Has ‘Rapidly Progressed,’ Game 3 Return Is Possible appeared first on SLAM.

Far from the beginnings of these Western Conference finals, far from these unfortified Oklahoma City Thunder, Serge Ibaka is defiant and determined for the world to witness his Willis Reed moment. Ibaka, so proud, so professional, is respectively raging against his injury diagnosis.

 

Ibaka is back in Oklahoma City for Games 1 and 2 – ruled out of the playoffs with a lower leg injury – but his willingness to play with pain, his loyalty to the championship cause, has him thinking about starting some stationary shooting late this week, a league source told Yahoo Sports on Monday.

 

Deep down, Ibaka understands his medical timetable couldn’t possibly include a return to these conference finals, but no one has yet talked him out of the belief he’d be back in the lineup if the Thunder advanced to the NBA Finals, a source said. The Thunder believed this injury would be a one-to-two-month recovery period. Without a tear in that plantaris muscle, though, Ibaka wants to believe it can be sooner.

The post Serge Ibaka Reportedly Wants To Attempt Playoff Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

Tony Parker is calling conspiracy theory on Ibaka injury. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) May 18, 2014

Leonard not convinced Ibaka is out, either. Sounds like the Spurs are preparing for him to play, regardless of reports of his injury.

— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) May 18, 2014

The post Spurs Preparing For Serge Ibaka To Play appeared first on SLAM.

With Ibaka now out of commission, the Thunder are in dire trouble heading into the Western Conference finals against Spurs. TrueOKC’s Royce Young explains what the injury means for OKC’s title hopes:

We’re talking about a team missing its third-best player. That’s not just something you can overcome with a positive outlook. Ibaka’s impact isn’t as direct as Westbrook’s or Durant’s, but Ibaka is a perfect offensive pressure release with his pick-and-pop game at the elbows and his ability to catch and finish in traffic.

He’s an anchor on the defensive end, allowing Thunder perimeter defenders to pressure pick-and-rolls and close out on shooters aggressively, knowing there’s insurance waiting at the rim.

So, the question is: Can the Thunder still beat the Spurs?

It was a maybe before, and it remains as such, although now it’s much flimsier. […] If the Thunder’s season ends in failure, it will carry along another caveat. Last season it was about Westbrook; a playoff exit this season would be about Ibaka.

Backups Perry Jones, Nick Collison and Steven Adams will see more minutes in Ibaka’s absence. The Thunder and Spurs will tip off in Game 1 at 9 p.m. EST on Monday.

The post Serge Ibaka Expected To Miss Rest of Playoffs appeared first on SLAM.

OKC Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka delivered a painful blow to Blake Griffin’s groin in Game 4. Ibaka says he didn’t intentionally hit the airborne Griffin, and instead was pushed from behind by a teammate. Per Yahoo! Sports:

About 45 seconds into the Clippers’ 101-99 victory over the Thunder, Ibaka appeared to be pushed from behind by teammate Kendrick Perkins before he hit Griffin in the groin with his fist during an offensive rebound attempt. No foul or technical was called on Ibaka. Griffin kneeled down in pain, but stayed in the game. The NBA will review the play prior to Tuesday’s Game 5 of the Clippers-Thunder series in Oklahoma City, a league source said.

“No punch thrown,” Ibaka said. “I was in traffic and one of my teammates pushed me from the back. Then I tried to fall and [Griffin] was already up. It was nothing like that.”

When asked if Ibaka hit him purposely, Griffin said, “I don’t know. I can’t get into his head.”

This wasn’t the first time Ibaka has hit Griffin below the belt. Ibaka was fined $25,000 but not suspended after hitting Griffin in the groin during a game on March 3, 2013. Griffin also received a bloody nose when he bumped into Ibaka in Game 3 of this series.

“I didn’t see it,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of Ibaka’s hit on Griffin in Game 4. “Coaches were yelling in my ear. …I’m sure I’ll see it. I don’t worry about all that.

“I love the physical play. I think they should just keep playing physical, let them play like that. If a guy throws a punch, then the league will take care of it.”

The post Serge Ibaka Hits Blake Griffin’s Groin Accidentally (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The post DeAndre Jordan Crushes Alley-Oop on Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

A compilation of the NBA’s best images from the past seven days. Some pretty posters, loose sneakers, celebrations and stare-downs are this week’s NBA photos to see.

Photos via USA Today

Previously:
Week of March 28 – April 3
Week of March 21 – March 27

The post 10 Best NBA Photos Of The Week appeared first on SLAM.

A meeting at the summit between DeAndre Jordan and Serge Ibaka ended with a ferocious poster dunk by Jordan over the OKC Thunder big man.

The post DeAndre Jordan Puts Serge Ibaka on a Poster (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

A compilation of the NBA’s best images from the past seven days. A few stills of highlight moments, in-the-paint action, and happy celebrations headline this week’s gallery of NBA photos.

Photos via USA Today

Previously:
Week of March 21 – March 27
Week of March 14 – March 20

The post 10 Best NBA Photos Of The Week appeared first on SLAM.

Bulls (36-29) 111, Rockets (44-21) 87

Chicago is quickly becoming the opponent that teams least want to see on their upcoming schedule. The Bulls ground down the Rockets, pounding them from the opening tip and breaking them with an offensive explosion to start the third quarter.

Mike Dunleavy (21 points, 4-6 from 3, 7 rebounds) caught an elbow from Chandler Parsons in the first half while taking a charge and needed stitches to close the bloody cut. It didn’t faze him, as he returned and outscored the Rockets all by himself in the third quarter, 18-16, as the Bulls blew the game wide open. Joakim Noah fell an assist shy of recording his fourth triple double of the season, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. The Bulls bounced back in a big way from their flat loss to the Spurs earlier this week and shot 50 percent on the night, knocking down 14-24 from long range. Kirk Hinrich poured in 19 points on 5-6 shooting from long range, while Carlos Boozer tallied 18 points and 7 rebounds.

Houston didn’t appear to want any part of the Bulls hard-nosed play from the start. Kevin McHale lamented their lackluster effort in his sideline interview in the first half, and that effort only waned as the game wore on. A top-five offense on a normal day, the Rockets shot just 35 percent against Chicago. Jeremy Lin scored 21 off the bench, but every Houston starter had a plus/minus rating of minus-20 or worse. Dwight Howard had 12 points and 10 rebounds, while James Harden struggled to 8 points on 2-7 shooting. 

Hawks (28-35) 102, Bucks (13-52) 97

Atlanta shook off a hot start from the Bucks and earned a win in the fourth quarter, their second straight W following six losses in a row. In crunch time, Kyle Korver did what he does as well as anyone in the world, raining in 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. Korver knocked down two triples in the period and drained a back-breaking fadeaway with 1:10 to go to end the Bucks’ chances. Jeff Teague, who signed an offer sheet with Milwaukee last summer, led the Hawks with 22 points and 8 assists, finishing the game off by hammering down a one-handed dunk. Paul Millsap added 17 points and 8 boards.

The Bucks were sizzling early on, hitting 20 of their first 35 shots. They cooled off significantly as the game wore on, dropping down to 41.6 percent by game’s end. Ersan Ilyasova posted 22 points and 10 rebounds and Brandon Knight chipped in another 20 points.

Thunder (48-17) 131, Lakers (22-43) 102

Just a few days after an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Lakers, Oklahoma City got their revenge by roasting L.A. on TNT. The defense that has been a problem since the All-Star break (and Russell Westbrook’s return to the lineup) locked in to take the Lakers out of the game early, holding L.A. to 8-26 shooting and 19 points in the first quarter, with L.A. finishing at 39 percent for the game. Russ had one of his best outings since coming back from knee surgery, getting hot from long range (4-7 on 3-pointers) and dropping in 29 points, also dishing out 9 assists.

Kevin Durant matched Westbrook in the scoring column, getting some garbage time points to run his streak of consecutive games scoring 25 or more up to 30 games. Serge Ibaka terrorized L.A., finishing with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 7 blocks as the Thunder shot over 50 percent and finished with 11 blocks in total.

After surprising the Thunder in last Sunday’s showcase game, the Lakers had no such luck when the game shifted to OKC. Jodie Meeks, who scored a career-best 42 in the last matchup, saw that total cut drastically, getting to 19 points on 6-15 shooting (3-4 on 3-pointers). Kent Bazemore had 16 points and 7 rebounds off the bench and Ryan Kelly put up 12 points and 6 assists. The Lakers’ run of historically bad defense continued; they allowed more than 130 points for the fourth time in five games, with opponents posting an average total of 129.8 in that span. No matter what Kobe is saying behind the scenes, numbers like that will be the reason if Mike D’Antoni loses his job this summer.

The post Post Up: Bulls on Parade appeared first on SLAM.

Serge Ibaka would not be denied on this vicious rim attack during the third quarter of the Thunder’s Sunday matchup against the Knicks. Credit to JR for the contest, though.

The post Serge Ibaka Power Dunks on JR Smith (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Magic (13-35) 113, Bucks (8-38) 102

The Magic sprinted away from the Bucks and led by double digits for more than three-quarters of the game. Arron Afflalo paced Orlando with 21 points on 7-13 shooting, leading six players in double figures. Tobias Harris went for 18 off the bench and Victor Oladipo was solid all-around, going for 15 points, seven assists and five boards. Orlando shot 51.8 percent on the night and outscored Milwaukee 30-18 in the paint.

The Bucks had a balanced scoring night themselves, with four starters scoring 10 points even and a total of seven players hitting for 10 or more. Caron Butler continued his relative hot streak with 20 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo tied his career high with 15. The Bucks have dropped five games in a row and 14 of their last 15.

Hawks (24-21) 125, 76ers (15-32) 99

Atlanta dominated the 76ers, forcing countless turnovers and making the home team look as bad as analysts thought they’d be coming into the season. The Sixers hung in for a short while despite committing nine turnovers in the first quarter alone, but they could do nothing to slow the Hawks down. Atlanta shot over 50 percent on the night, racking up 36 assists on their 45 made field goals. Seven Hawks scored 10 or more points, led by Mike Scott and former Sixer Elton Brand, who both came off the bench to score 18. 

With the exception of Thaddeus Young (29 points, 11-19 from the field) and Michael Carter-Williams (17 points on just nine shots) the Sixers were as inept on offense as they were on defense. They finished with 19 turnovers, shot just 36.8 percent and made 6-22 3-pointers.

Grizzlies (25-20) 94, Timberwolves (23-23) 90

Minnesota rallied in the second half to take a late lead, but Memphis was able to churn out another victory. Zach Randolph had 26 points (11-20 shooting) and 12 boards, coming out on top in a battle of two very different power forwards. Kevin Love had the more impressive numbers for Minnesota, going for 28 and 16 despite rolling his ankle in the first half. Love got some help from Kevin Martin (14 points) and super-sub J.J. Barea (12 points).

Memphis was up 16 midway through the third, but Love keyed an 18-4 run, hitting three triples and netting 14 points in that stretch to get the Wolves right back in it. The teams spent much of the fourth quarter on the seesaw, trading leads eight times in the final period alone. Memphis finally buried Minny with a Z-Bo-powered 11-2 run. Courtney Lee had 16 points for the Grizz and played some spot point guard minutes late after Mike Conley left the game with an ankle injury. Memphis has won 10 of 11 and has climbed to within a game of a Playoff spot.

Thunder (38-10) 120, Nets (20-24) 95

The streak is over: Kevin Durant didn’t top 30 points for the first time in nearly a month. The Thunder’s winning streak, however, is still intact at 10 as they demolished the Nets in Brooklyn. The Nets simply couldn’t hang with OKC, as the Thunder shot a blistering 63.6 percent from the field, the highest in the Association this season.

(H/T r/NBA)

Despite losing his ridiculous 12-game 30-point streak, KD didn’t cool off one bit. Durant shot 10-12 in his 30 minutes, hitting an array of flat-out mean shots and scoring 26 points and picking up seven assists before sitting out the fourth quarter. The Slim Reaper finished the month of January averaging 35.9 points on 54.9 percent shooting, along with six boards and six assists. Serge Ibaka caught KD’s fever and literally could not miss, hitting all 12 of his shots en route to 25 points. All three of the Thunder’s young guns – Jeremy Lamb (12), Reggie Jackson (14) and Perry Jones (11) – hit double digits in scoring, with Jackson in particular making several plays for OKC.

The Nets were never close in this one, falling behind by 15 at the end of the first quarter and not getting within 20 after the midway point of the second quarter. Shaun Livingston led Brooklyn in scoring, while Deron Williams came off the bench, netting 14 points. Kevin Garnett went scoreless for the first time since his rookie season in 1996. Due to the Thunder missing just 28 shots on the night, the Nets set a dubious NBA record for fewest rebounds in a game with 17. 

Mavericks (27-21) 107, Kings (15-31) 103

Dirk Nowitzki put the Mavericks on his back down the stretch, carrying Dallas to a narrow victory over the Kings. Dirk scored 12 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, helping to pull the Mavs out of a five-point hole and into the lead. Monta Ellis (20 points, 6-10 shooting) did his part to close out the game, scoring Dallas’ final five points. The Mavericks didn’t shoot well from deep – just 10.5 percent – but made their only two 3-pointers of the game in the fourth.

Rudy Gay went off for Sacto, scoring 35 on 10-16 shooting, while helping to stake the Kings to a 13-point lead late in the third before going cold in the fourth, where they suffered through a three-minute scoring drought. In addition to his efficient scoring night, Rudy pulled down 12 boards and passed out six assists. The Kings got 19 from Isaiah Thomas, but no one else hit double figures in scoring.

Raptors (25-21) 100, Nuggets (22-23) 90

The Raptors picked up their first win in Denver in a decade, using a spurt in the third quarter to pull away. Newly minted All-Star DeMar DeRozan was the game’s top scorer with 19 points, although he shot 6-17 from the field to get there. The final margin is a little misleading, as Toronto went up by as many as 25 in the fourth quarter before garbage time. Kyle Lowry didn’t respond to his All-Star snub as strongly as some of his fellow excluded peers, managing just 13 points and six assists. Terrence Ross went for 18 and showed off some dunk contest-worthy material.

Randy Foye flipped the switch from 3-point gunner to point man with Ty Lawson out again, dishing out 16 assists to go with his 10 points. He struggled with the added ball-handling responsibilities, committing eight of the Nuggets’ 25 turnovers. Evan Fournier had 18 points and seven turnovers, while J.J. Hickson put up 18 and 13 boards.

Bobcats (21-27) 110, Lakers (16-31) 100

Charlotte walked into Staples and dropped the Lakers, led by a dominant effort by another near-miss All-Star. Al Jefferson destroyed the Lakers’ lackluster front court, going for 40 points on 18-32 shooting, tying his career high, along with 18 boards. Charlotte led by double digits for the majority of the second half, holding the Lakers at bay. The one time L.A. got it under 10 in the second half, Big Al scored eight straight Bobcat points to put an end to any thought of a Laker comeback. Gerald Henderson scored 20 in support, while Ramon Sessions handed out 13 assists.

Pau Gasol has 24 for the Lakers, tweaking his groin in the process, while Nick Young netted 21 off the bench. Kendall Marshall continues his career resurrection under Mike D’Antoni, going for a double double with 10 points and 12 assists. L.A. shot just 38.7 percent in dropping their sixth straight and now have the sixth-worth record in the League.

Warriors (29-19) 95, Jazz (16-30) 90

Golden State looked to be in trouble on the second night of a back-to-back, but all is well when Stephen Curry gets hot. Steph went off for 44 points (14-26 shooting, 8-13 from deep), splashing in 17 points in the third quarter and another 13 in the fourth quarter, including three triples in the final frame. The Warriors rode Curry’s hot hand to overcome an eight-point deficit in the fourth. They also had to fight off their own shooting woes; the Warriors hit just 37.5 percent from the field, including a 3-20 night from Klay Thompson (11 points). Luckily, Curry had Andrew Bogut running with him. The Aussie put up 16 points on 8-11 shooting while controlling the paint, corralling 17 rebounds and blocking three shots, including a stuff of Gordon Hayward the preserve the lead in the fourth for Golden State.

The Jazz got a couple of unexpected boosts off the bench. Alec Burks flashed a varied game, hitting for 26 points, while Diante Garrett scored 13 points on 6-8 shooting. Both got heavy minutes in place of Trey Burke, who was saddled with foul trouble all night and fouled out in just 22 minutes. The Jazz honored legendary coach Jerry Sloan on Friday, raising his “jersey” with the number 1223 on it, the number of wins he rang up as coach of the Jazz. 

The post Post Up: Curry, KD Get Cooking appeared first on SLAM.

Last night, Lou Williams rocked a dope Zoom Soldier VII PE in London; Lance Stephenson laced up all-navy, all-suede AND 1 Tai Chis for a career-high 28 points; and Kevin Durant balled out in sick KD VI iDs. We collected photos of that heat and more in our gallery of the best sneakers from around the League. Which player’s shoe game did you like the most from last night?

Images via Getty

The post NBA Kicks Of The Night appeared first on SLAM.

OKC Thunder big man Serge Ibaka was already airborne when he realized, to his horror, that James Harden was putting him on a poster.

The post James Harden Tomahawk Dunks on Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Iso Joe! The Brooklyn Nets escaped OKC with a stunning victory over the Thunder, as Joe Johnson hit an extremely difficult jumper for the last second 95-93 win.

The post Joe Johnson Hits Game-Winner to Beat OKC Thunder (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Kobe Bryant managed just 4 points and 7 turnovers in the Lakers’ 122-97 loss to the Thunder on Friday, but Kobe did register 13 assists—including this one, where he found Jordan Hill with a pass off of Serge Ibaka‘s back.

The post Kobe Bryant Assists Jordan Hill With Pass Off Serge Ibaka’s Back (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

On a slightly-delayed fastbreak, Russell Westbrook found a cutting Serge Ibaka with a nice, no-look dish for the easy finish.

The post Russell Westbrook Throws No-Look Pass to Serge Ibaka (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

As one might expect, the NBA’s decision to fine Matt Barnes $25K for writing the N-word on his Twitter account drew some passionate reactions. On television, Mike Wilbon, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal jumped to the defense of Matt Barnes.

The post Charles Barkley Says Matt Barnes Shouldn’t Be Sorry (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Oh boy … The NBA hit Matt Barnes with a $25K fine, after he was ejected for shoving Serge Ibaka and profanely venting on Twitter last night. (Barnes issued an apology earlier today.) From the press release: “Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes has been fined $25,000 for failing to leave the court in a timely manner upon his ejection and using inappropriate language on his Twitter account during the game following his ejection, in violation of NBA rules, it was announced Thursday by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.”

The post Matt Barnes Fined $25,000 for Ejection and Twitter Rant appeared first on SLAM.

Having calmed down from his tussle with Serge Ibaka and profane venting on Twitter last night, Matt Barnes issued a heartfelt apology today in a series of tweets: “I’d like to take a second to apologize to the #LACorganization, my #Teammates & #CoachingStaff & the #ClipFans.. For my actions … Not only on the court, but off.. I was completely wrong for pushing Ibaka & then for what I tweeted following the altercation … I’ve been doing this for to long to let my emotions get the best of me.. My poor choice of words & timing do not reflect Who or what I am about … It was very selfish on my part to make this situation about me instead of my teammates that fought their Hearts out & earned a big win against a tough okc team … Now I could have took the easy way out & said, ‘My twitter was hacked’ … But that’s not what I’m about, I except full responsibility for all my inappropriate action last night & I am truly sorry!”

The post Matt Barnes Apologizes for Ejection and Postgame Rant appeared first on SLAM.

Things got a bit testy between the LA Clippers and the visiting OKC Thunder last night — Serge Ibaka and Matt Barnes were booted out of the game for nearly coming to blows late in the first half, and Barnes tweeted (using colorful language) that he’s done standing up for his teammates. The tweet has since been deleted, but here’s what Barnes wrote: “I love my teammates like family, but I’m DONE standing up for these niggas! All this shit does is cost me money..”

The post Matt Barnes and Serge Ibaka Ejected for Shoving (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA suspended Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris for throwing a ‘bow at Serge Ibaka’s grill during a battle under the boards. From the press release: “The incident occurred with 6:42 remaining in the third quarter of the Suns’ 88-76 victory over the Thunder on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at US Airways Center. Morris will be suspended for the Suns’ first 2013-14 regular season-game in which he is eligible and physically able to play.”

The post Markieff Morris Suspended One Game for Elbowing Serge Ibaka appeared first on SLAM.

Like just about every other player on our annual Top 50 list, Serge Ibaka coming in at No. 39 will be too high for some and too low for others. Indeed, this list is simply a combination of me and my colleague’s individual rankings, which then gets calculated based on a proprietary algorithm SLAMonline.com chief Ryne Nelson developed. (OK, I made that last part up.)

Ranking anything is tough business. So I decided to give you an inside look at the in-depth breakdown I do for every player when coming up with these rankings. (That’s a lie, but so what.) This will give you a somewhat clear and concise overview of the player and an argument for higher or lower. You can make your own conclusion on Ibaka’s ranking from there. (Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about it either way, but still.)

For those of you that think Ibaka should be ranked lower, or not at all, I present to you the following:

1. Ibaka averaged 3.03 blocks per game last season to lead the League for the second year in a row. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First-Team for the second consecutive year. Simply put, he is the NBA’s premier shot blocker.

2. He shot 58 percent from the field last season, which was fourth in the NBA. Not too shabby considering he has developed a solid mid-range jumpshot and doesn’t stay glued in the paint.

3. As any Jay-Z fan knows, numbers don’t lie. So when we delve into some advanced metrics, Ibaka’s Top 50 ranking in two key categories is telling. Ibaka averaged a 19.4 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) last season, which ranks ahead of players like David Lee, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. (For those wondering, LeBron James had the highest PER last season at 31.6.) As well, among players who averaged 30-plus minutes per game, Ibaka had the fifth highest True Shooting Percentage last year at 61.2 percent. Only Kyle Korver, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Tyson Chandler ranked ahead of him.

4. Serge is only 24 years old and just finished his fourth full season in the NBA. He put up career highs in field-goal percentage, rebounds and points, with the biggest jump coming in PPG, where he improved to 13.2 from 9.1 the year prior. The departure of James Harden left the Thunder looking for buckets in other areas and Ibaka stepped up his game. Coming into his fifth year, it’s reasonable to assume Ibaka will keep improving as a scoring threat and, coupled with his rebounding and shot-blocking, makes him an invaluable player.

5. Ibaka speaks five languages. Yes, five. Enough said.

Now, for those who believe Ibaka got jipped and should be placed higher on this list, I make the following argument:

1. For all of his prowess as an elite shot-blocker, Ibaka’s rebounding was subpar. At 7.7 per game, he wasn’t even in the top 20 in that category last year. A true power forward, Ibaka averaged less boards than teammate Kevin Durant (7.9). With the deterioration of Kendrick Perkins, Ibaka’s rebounding was underwhelming.

2. Ibaka’s aforementioned 19.4 PER is exactly the same as Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe, who came in at No. 47 on our list.

3. Despite an improving jumpshot, Ibaka’s back-to-the-basket repertoire is severely lacking. With Perkins basically non-existent offensively, OKC is in desperate need of a low-post scorer and someone who can draw defenders off their array of shooters. Ibaka has yet to fill that void.

4. It could be argued that Ibaka was a letdown last year. With Harden leaving, OKC fans could still take solace in the fact they had an emerging stud at power forward. Maybe the bar was set too high, but outside of his rim protection, Ibaka’s 13.2 ppg and 7.7 rpg seems less than what he’s capable of. He ended last season with 15 double-doubles. Fifteen! That’s less than Spencer Hawes and the same number as Jeff Teague.

So there it is. Both sides of the fence. As you can see, there are arguments to be made both ways. But from what I can tell, it looks like we’ve got the OKC big man pegged about right. And just think, this is only No. 39 on our list. Just wait ’til we hit the top 10.

[poll id=”586″]

Rankings are based on expected contribution in ’13-14—to players’ team, the League and the game.

The post Top 50: Serge Ibaka, no. 39 appeared first on SLAM.

Marc Gasol, the winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, will have to settle for a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team. Instead, LeBron James and Tony Allen headline the First Team. Here’s the press release: “Allen totaled 53 points overall and James tallied 52. Each player received 25 First Team votes. Joining Allen and James on the NBA All-Defensive First Team are guard Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers (37 points, 15 First Team votes) and forward Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder (46 points, 17 First Team votes). Rounding out the First Team are centers Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks and Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls, who tied with 24 points each while getting nine and eight First Team votes, respectively. […] The NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of guards Avery Bradley of the Boston Celtics (10 First Team votes) and Mike Conley of the Grizzlies (four First Team votes), forwards Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs (three First Team votes) and Paul George of the Indiana Pacers (seven First Team votes), and center Marc Gasol of the Grizzlies (five First Team votes). The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 30 head coaches, who were asked to select NBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Two points were awarded for a First Team vote and one point was awarded for a Second Team vote.”

The post LeBron James Headlines NBA All-Defensive Team appeared first on SLAM.

Zach Randolph and the Memphis Grizzlies have shut down Serge Ibaka so far in the second round of the NBA Playoffs—the OKC Thunder big man is shooting a putrid 30.8 percent from the field. Kevin Durant seems to think Ibaka’s issues in the series are mostly mental, and Serge admits to a loss of confidence. Per the Oklahoman: “A day after Kevin Durant said Serge Ibaka’s shooting struggles were all in his mind, Ibaka admitted that his confidence is waning. ‘Yeah,’ Ibaka said. ‘It’s normal, man. It’s normal. A little bit. But that does not mean my confidence is way down because after all the shots I missed, after the (missed) dunk, I was still playing defense. I wanted to still help my teammates. I wanted to still try to be aggressive. But it’s normal like he said. Of course, that happens to everybody.’ Ibaka suggested his shots in this series might be too easy. ‘Most of the time when you’re open that’s when it’s tough to make shots because you try to get some different focus than normally when some guys try to contest your shots,’ Ibaka said. ‘So that’s happened.’ Ibaka said his focus now is just moving forward. ‘Like people say, if you think about the past you cannot get better in the next one,’ Ibaka said. ‘So right now I’m trying to do the best I can to forget about (Saturday) night’s game and be focused the next game and try to be aggressive.'”

The post Serge Ibaka Has Lost Some Confidence vs the Memphis Grizzlies appeared first on SLAM.

The Houston Rockets escaped with a 105-103 Game 4 victory, avoiding elimination after Serge Ibaka missed a bunny at the buzzer. The OKC Thunder big man then collapsed to the floor in disbelief.

The post Serge Ibaka Misses Point-Blank Game-Tying Layup (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.