NBA Finals 2012: Serge Ibaka Will Be the Key for Oklahoma City in Game 4

Serge Ibaka made some headlines this week with his mouth. Now, he'll have to do it with his play.

Ibaka was already an X-factor for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and after calling out LeBron James, the pressure on him will be even greater.

Ibaka is only averaging 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in the Finals, while shooting just 45 percent from the floor. All of those numbers are down from his regular season averages. If he can't find ways to be more productive, the Thunder will lose Game 4, and ultimately, the series. 

Ibaka is known for his defense (he was second in Defensive Player of the Year voting), but he hasn't made a major impact on that side of the floor in the Finals. LeBron and Dwyane Wade are killing OKC when they drive to the bucket, and although Ibaka has made some spectacular blocks, the Heat are still averaging 44.6 points in the paint per game.

Of course, not all of that is Ibaka's fault. Wade and James are two of the best finishers in the league, and if they beat their man off the dribble, there's not much the Thunder big men can do.

However, you can put plenty of blame on Ibaka for the Heat's offensive rebounding bonanza.

Chris Bosh has pulled down 11 offensive boards by himself the last two games, and many of those have come at Ibaka's expense. While he's counted upon to play help defense and contest shots, Ibaka leaves his feet too much. This takes him out of rebounding position and allows Bosh and the other Heat big men to get easy second-chance opportunities.

Offensively, Ibaka must be much more aggressive in attacking the rim. With his length and athleticism, he can throw down over just about anybody. Unfortunately for OKC, he seems content to settle for outside jumpers.

In Game 1, Ibaka was 4-for-5 inside the paint. But since then, he's completely shied away from the rim, taking just two combined shots in the paint in Games 2 and 3.

While he does have a solid mid-range jumper, he needs to drive to the hoop more to build some confidence and keep the defense honest. He is just 3-for-13 outside the paint this series. If he continues to jack up outside shots at an inefficient rate, he will cripple the Thunder's chances in this series.

Ibaka is an excellent young player, and he's proven that he can contribute when his team needs him most. But if he can't make some minor adjustments (don't leave your feet as much and attack the rim are pretty basic ones), the Thunder will plummet into a devastating 3-1 hole.