Serge Ibaka Proving to Be Complementary Piece to Oklahoma City Thunder Future
As it turns out, Serge Ibaka isn't suited to be the Oklahoma City Thunder's primary weapon.
With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook out, the Thunder needed Ibaka to take charge and keep the team afloat. Instead, the 25-year-old hasn't looked comfortable in his new featured role, and he appears to have taken a back seat to guard Reggie Jackson.
In an unlikely turn, it has been Jackson, not Ibaka, that has benefited the most from the absence of the team's two best players. He leads the team in scoring with 20.1 points per game, and he has emerged as the go-to guy during crunch time.
| Year | Field Goal Att. Per Game | Field Goal Percentage | Points Per Game | Rebounds Per Game |
| 2013-14 | 12.1 | 53.6 | 15.1 | 8.8 |
| 2014-15 | 14.3 | 45.1 | 15.6 | 7.9 |
Meanwhile, Ibaka's 2014-15 numbers are eerily similar to last year's statistics, despite the absence of Durant and Westbrook. He is averaging just two more shots per game than he was attempting last season.
Making matters worse, OKC's forced switch to a primarily zone defensive scheme has limited one of the league's best shot-blockers. After leading the league in total swats for the past four seasons, Ibaka is rejecting just 1.9 shots per game.
"It’s kinda taking away my position for blocked shots," Ibaka said, per Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman. "I’m more concerned about shooters, corner guys, threes, it’s taking me away from my timing and blocked shots."
Focus On Threes
Ibaka's insistence on straying outside of the paint hasn't just occurred on the defensive end. With the team lacking healthy outside shooters, Ibaka has spent quite a bit of time firing from behind the arc.
In 15 games this season, he has already attempted more threes (63) than he did all of last year (60). In fairness, he's also converted more as well (23-to-20). That trend is expected to continue, even when Durant and Westbrook return, per Slater.
"I think it continues," head coach Scott Brooks said. "He doesn't necessarily have to live out there and shoot 10 a game. But three or four a game is a good number for him."
Ibaka is averaging 4.1 treys per game. He's converting 37.1 percent of those attempts, which is down slightly from last year's 38.3 percent conversion rate. The team's desire to make Ibaka more of a stretch 4 has come at the expense of his work in the paint.
According to BasketballReference.com, 366 of Ibaka's 978 attempts last season came at the rim (roughly 37.4 percent). This season, he has taken just 35 of his 215 shots around the basket (16.2 percent). It's great that he's broadened his offensive horizons but, as Slater points out, Ibaka may enjoy the outside a little too much.
"He’s fallen in love with the long ball. And even as teams have started to gameplan against it, sticking closer and closing out harder, Ibaka has failed to take advantage and get to the basket. His shots in the paint and at the rim have declined a ton.
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Ibaka's desertion from the paint would be less of an issue if the Thunder had a proven scorer in the post to take his place. However, Steven Adams, Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison aren't reliable weapons on the inside.
The James Harden Quandary
In 2012, the Thunder were forced to pick between Ibaka and James Harden to be the team's third wheel. Inevitably, they opted for Ibaka's elite rim protection over Harden's dynamic scoring. The team signed Ibaka to a four-year, $48 million extension and later shipped "The Beard" to the Houston Rockets.
With Ibaka struggling to emerge as "the man," it's only right to wonder where the Thunder would be if they chose to keep Harden instead.
After all, Harden has hit the ground running since coming to H-town and becoming the Rockets' franchise guard. He's been a top-five NBA scorer the past two seasons and currently sits third in that category with 25.2 points per game this year.
While Harden lacks Ibaka's ability on the defensive end, there's no denying he can carry a franchise. In his first season with the Rockets, the former Arizona State standout led a team of predominantly young and unproven prospects to the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
If Harden could make the playoffs with the likes of Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, what could he do with Steven Adams and Reggie Jackson? At the very least, he'd improve an offense that is dead last in the NBA in scoring (89.6 points per game).
In a lot of ways, Reggie Jackson is having the season that Serge Ibaka should have been having. With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook out, the skids were greased for Ibaka to break out. Instead, it became blatantly obvious that the big fella is better suited to be a supporting cast member than a leading man.
That's not a knock on "The Serge Protector." Players such as Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen have made Hall of Fame careers out of being more sidekick than superhero. Ibaka still has the potential to be a great two-way forward and future All-Star.
However, Ibaka's failure to step up while James Harden's star continues to grow is a painful reminder of what could have been. The Thunder needed Ibaka to be every bit of the hero that Harden has proven to be, and they have found out the hard way that he just doesn't have it in him.
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