Toronto Raptors: 5 goals for Serge Ibaka in 2017-18
By Randy Porga
2. Become reliable on the glass
Serge Ibaka is a big body that can overall improve the Toronto Raptors in an area they struggled with last season: defensive rebounding. They were decent on the offensive glass, finishing 12th in the league, but finished 23rd on the defensive side.
During the “wonder years” of his career, he was averaging exactly 8.0 rebounds per game. As for the following years up to present day? He’s averaged 7.1 rebounds per game, but the big difference is his marks for offensive rebounds. Although it is precisely 1.0 rebounds per game fewer the past three seasons compared to the 2011-12 through 2013-14, his blocks per game also hit a steep decline.
Ibaka is currently the No. 1 active player in the league with 2.4 blocks per game in his career thus far. Not only should maintaining this mark be a goal, but perhaps finding his way into being a potential elite asset on the boards for Toronto as well.
With Serge Ibaka honing in on the inside on both ends of the court, he can prove to be essential in the Toronto Raptors making a serious playoff push.