Serge Ibaka on playing in Game 3: ‘It is my decision’
By Mike Dyce
The Oklahoma City Thunder are still trying to sort out whether they’ll have Serge Ibaka for Game Three of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday. Ibaka has been dealing with a calf injury and his status is uncertain for the game, but he did participate in the shoot around on Sunday morning.
“If I feel better later, I’m going to go,” Ibaka said, via Royce Young of Daily Thunder. “It is my decision. At this point it is my decision more than coach or the doctor. So it is my decision.”
It has been an interesting change of developments, Ibaka went from not being able to play in the conference finals, according to a post on his blog, to his condition having “rapidly progressed” two days later.
If Ibaka is good to go for Game Three it would be an added bonus for the Thunder. The team has been preparing as if they’d be without him.
“I don’t know what his status is. I’ve been hearing some stuff but we’ve been preparing like he’s not available,” MVP Kevin Durant said.
Ibaka said if he plays it will be painful, adding that he is a “tough guy,” but it is ultimately head coach Scott Brooks decision. Would a less than 100 percent, and how far under a 100 percent would he be, Ibaka be better than the alternative.
Is Ibaka healthy enough that he can still contribute without hurting the team? He clearly isn’t anywhere near 100 percent, though he said he feels “50 percent better,” so even if he did play it would probably be less than 33.9 minutes he has been averaging in the playoffs so far.