Just Call Him Serge Iblocka
After absorbing the news of Oklahoma City Thunder’s February acquisition of Kendrick Perkins, thoughts turned to Serge Ibaka. Would the 6’10" player finally take over the starting power forward position on a permanent basis with Perkins at center? Coach Scott Brooks did insert Ibaka into the starting lineup the day following the trade; now with Perkins healthy, the two start together presenting a formidable frontcourt tandem.
One thing was immediately known with this trade: Ibaka would learn invaluable lessons from the champion veteran center. The bonding between the two teammates has already commenced.
"Of course, we need to try to be close right now," Ibaka told HOOPSWORLD. "I was taught to play and learn off him, so we need to figure out if you want to get better, we need to grow."
His English isn’t quite there yet, but you get the drift. He understands perfectly just how much Perkins is going to improve his game.
"I think we are great as teammates," he added. "We can get better. We’ll be working together for a long time."
That is music to Thunder fans’ ears. At long last, the team has a legitimate intimidating duo to guard the paint. It’s a new-look defense for this club; Perkins is providing the vocal leadership on the floor, and especially to Ibaka.
It’s almost as if Perkins will be to Ibaka what Kevin Garnett was to Perkins in Boston. Kevin Durant sees Perkins’ impact on Ibaka already.
"Perk does a lot for him," shared Durant. "You can hear him say ‘Serge, go block that’, and Serge just automatically responds and he goes and blocks it. I think it’s just that little push there with a veteran guy down there with you. They’re playing well together. He’s gotta keep it up."
"To be a good defensive player, you have to have toughness and you have to have some skill," said Brooks. "You also have to have the ability to communicate. He (Perkins) has toughness, skill and a communicator and that’s what makes all defensive teams good, and we want to become one of those good defensive teams. He’s quiet off the court, but on the court, he forces his will onto the opponent with his toughness, with his experience and with his communication skills."
Ibaka has shown improved play over his rookie year last season, but what he’s done since the trade is turning heads. Now with Perkins in the mix (just three games in), the 21-year-old has gone from being a great shot-blocker to one of the most skilled shot-blockers in the league.
Let’s break it down: Ibaka averaged 6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks in 18.1 minutes during the 2009-10 season. From this season’s start until the trade on February 24th (56 games), Ibaka posted 8.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg and 2.05 bpg in 26.70 mpg. From February 25th until March 13th (nine games, while Perkins was sidelined), Ibaka logged 9.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.1 bpg in 29.42 mpg.
This brings us to what Ibaka has done since Perkins joined him on the floor: 9.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg, and an unbelievable 5.3 average blocks in 29.1 mpg.
Ibaka has become a shot-blocking machine. He’s made 159 blocks this season, second only to Dwight Howard. We asked Brooks to talk about Ibaka’s recent shot-blocking dominance.
"He’s definitely doing a good job defensively," began Brooks. "Not only is he blocking shots, he’s shooting and rebounding the ball. It’s what he does. He’s doing it at a high level. That’s a hard level to stay at."
Good point. Can Ibaka maintain this level of blocking opponents’ shots?
"We’re going to try to continue to force it out of him," answered Brooks. "Those are numbers that are hard to comprehend, but he did it. We just have to keep him playing that type of basketball. I’m not sure if it’s because of Perk, but it helps having a tough low-post experienced defender, and they have a good relationship on the court in just a quick time together."
We failed to mention Ibaka is also fifth in the league in field-goal percentage (.544).
{AUTHOR_BOX}"He’s getting some extra minutes which is helping him, and the confidence level he has right now is high," Brooks continued. "He’s a defensive player who can make shots. That’s a great combination, because he rebounds, he blocks, he alters shots, he runs the floor as good as anyone in the league and he can make 17′ jump shots consistently. So he’s developing into a very good player, and, like I say with a lot of our guys, ‘Give him the credit. He works at it. He forces himself to improve every day.’"
We wanted to know what some of his teammates have seen already, specifically, in this Ibaka-Perkins pairing.
"It was a good move for us. Perk helps out a lot," shared Daequan Cook, a player who is also surging (pardon the pun) of late. "He’s so big and wide. He’s strong. He’s been around, championship player, so he knows the game. He’s back there helping Serge, an up-and-coming player, who is very athletic. It’s helping us out a lot.
"(By the) time playoffs come around, we’re gonna need them," added Cook.
"He’s (Ibaka) doing a good job protecting the basket for us; shooting the wide open jumpers when we need it. He’s playing very well. His confidence is sky high right now," noted Durant.
"I just go into the game thinking Serge is going to protect our paint and protect the basket," said Brooks. "Now with him and Perk, it gives two tough players that are committed to that defensive end."
Ibaka told us that Perkins has helped improved his play since the day he arrived.
"It feels good to play (with Perkins), (and) in practice, more especially with me. He’s been ready for a long time. It is good to play and practice and learn. He works hard. Not just for me, but for our team," said Ibaka.
Brooks likes the fact Ibaka is able to roam the court more freely with Perkins manning the middle.
"He definitely has the ability to cover a lot of ground," he said. "He is one of the rare bigs that can double the pick and roll and get back to the basket within a few seconds, and we need that extra effort out of him. All of our guys are multiple effort guys, and you add the effort with Serge’s ability, it makes a pretty good player."
When significant roster changes occur, it sometimes results in players getting an opportunity to shine. Such is the case when Jeff Green departed. James Harden has embraced the challenge of increased offensive responsibility, and Ibaka has shouldered some of his previous duties as well.
"Serge is not as good a scorer as Jeff was; he needs to score inside-out," Durant explained. "But Serge is a better help-defender. He’s longer, taller, more athletic. He’s not the scorer that Jeff was, but I think he’s sorta doing a good job of making up for what Jeff did for us.
"I think he’s doing about what he’s expected to. A lot people might think he’s gonna score more points for us, but that’s not how to grow. Easy points come to him. He catches the ball, but he’s not going to be a go-to scorer for us down there. He’s doing a great job of playing defense, rebounding and playing hard."
And the blocks…what about these absurd blocks?
"We’re not gonna stop him," chuckled Cook. "Teams haven’t really realized what he’s capable of. He’s been showing it through his actions each night coming out, getting three or four blocks, big blocks at that. It’s really impacting the game. It’s giving us that extra amount of burst we need, getting that block and being able to get out and run and play the game we like to play."
"The blocking shots…you don’t expect guys to block eight and seven shots back to back. Very rarely does that happen," Brooks said.
We asked Ibaka if he can continue blocking shots at this level.
"Yeah, I will try. I will try," he said. "Like I say, it’s one thing that’s part of my job to do… the blocks. So I will try to do it every time I can.
"Every time," he repeated with emphasis. "I will try to block shots."
Last season, fans started calling Ibaka by the nickname of "Iblocka", which is even more appropriate now. We wondered if Ibaka was on board with the name.
"Yeah, it’s something the fans give you. I can’t say no…I like it, because it’s fun and they give me that."
Iblocka it is.
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