Toronto Raptors: Serge Ibaka holds key to playoff hopes

Serge Ibaka’s versatility on both ends of the floor could become a major X-factor in the Toronto Raptors’ quest for a championship.

During the first seven years of his career playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Serge Ibaka was arguably the best shot-blocker in the league, ranking first in blocks in back-to-back seasons and routinely ranking among the top five.

Along the way, Ibaka wanted to become a capable offensive player, so that’s exactly what he did, developing a reliable 15-footer that spread the court for his All-Star teammates.

Then Serge wanted to take it a step further, literally, and modernize his game to fit the bill of a modern power forward, capable of stretching a defense all the way out to the 3-point line.

In the process, what made Ibaka so valuable to the Thunder began to disappear.

After leading the league in blocks in 2012 with 3.7 per game, which admittedly set the bar quite high, Ibaka’s blocks per game decreased every season and has continued to do so even as he’s changed uniforms.

His constant pursuit of an offensive game has taken its toll on the other side, seemingly stripping away his willingness and desire to protect the rim. Ibaka’s rebounds have decreased on a yearly basis as well, signaling a lack of aggression by the eight-year veteran.

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When the Toronto Raptors traded for Ibaka in February of last season, they had a gap at the power forward spot they hoped Serge could fill, while also giving them a capable center in smaller lineups.

The experiment has worked out fairly well this season, with Ibaka averaging 12.8 points on 48.6 percent shooting from the field and 34.9 percent from 3, plus 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

He might not be what he once was, but Ibaka’s two-way prowess is not something present on every NBA team. It’s this two-way versatility that makes Ibaka not necessarily Toronto’s best player, but maybe their most important.

If he’s able to rediscover his two-way dominance by not relying too much on his jumper and channeling more effort toward the defensive end, it would give Toronto’s championship hopes a major boost.

Against the likes of the Boston Celtics, Ibaka’s presence would serve as an answer to Al Horford, while the Cleveland Cavaliers would have to figure out how to best use Kevin Love if and when the two matched up.

The Raptors don’t need Ibaka to be the third option on offense; they just need him to be a reliable floor-spacer, making sure he keeps his defender honest.

On the defensive side, Toronto needs Serge to rediscover some of the tenacity that made him such a feared shot-blocker in OKC. Only 28 years old, there’s no reason he shouldn’t have the ability still. For him, it’s all about desire.

If Ibaka can figure out how to do both at a high level, it’ll give the Raptors an entirely new dimension to play with. Not many big men in the league can block a shot at one end and knock down a 3 at the other.

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His ability to do both will be crucial for Toronto to finally break through the Eastern Conference barrier they’ve been facing for so long.

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