Oklahoma City Thunder: Why Serge Ibaka Is the Real MVP for the Surging Thunder

Most NBA experts would say that the 2012 MVP race is between Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

While that's certainly a realistic thought, and both LeBron and Durant are deserving of the honor, I'm here to tell you that Durant isn't the most valuable player for the overall success of his team.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the top three teams in the NBA, and while Durant's impressive 27.9 points per game average is certainly a large component of their success, it's not the foundation.

The foundation of the Thunder's success this season has been the emergent play of third-year center, Serge Ibaka.

Not only is Ibaka playing at a more productive rate this year than any previous year with averages of 9.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, he's also playing at the most efficient rate of his career with a solid PER of 18.40.

While Ibaka's play this season has been nothing short of impressive, the most important aspect of his game is the toughness and athleticism he brings to the defensive side of the ball for a Thunder team that seriously lacks that without him.

The Thunder rank first in the NBA in offensive production with an average of 103.6 points per game, and while that's important to their success, they can't win games unless they stop teams from scoring; just like the adage says—"defense wins championships".

While the Thunder aren't the most dominant defensive team in the NBA with the league's 18th best points allowed average of 97.2 points, they are still a competent defensive team, and that's in large part to the presence of Ibaka in the paint.

When Ibaka isn't blocking shots like it's his job or owning the glass, his athletic presence alone is impacting the way that opponents attack the paint, and that alone is one of the most valuable aspects of Ibaka's game.

Aside from Ibaka's defensive presence, he's also developing into a legitimate offensive talent for the Thunder, which makes them that much more dangerous.

Ibaka used to be an offensive threat only when he was within five feet of the rim, but now he's starting to hit mid-range jumpers. That has helped the Thunder stretch the court more, which benefits the play of every other player on the court.

While Durant might very well be the overall NBA MVP and James Harden might be the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, there's no doubt that the key to the Thunder's success down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs is the explosive play of Ibaka.

Ibaka brings a toughness to the court for a Thunder team that desperately needs just that to make it through a powerful Western Conference and into the NBA Finals.

As Ibaka goes, so do the Thunder, and if they want to play well into the month of June, the Thunder need to give Ibaka more minutes on the court to allow his athleticism to frustrate defenses and make their offense that much more explosive.

Ibaka is the Thunder's most valuable player, hands down, and it's time that he gets the respect that he deserves.