LA Clippers: Serge Ibaka brings valuable experience for playoffs

Serge Ibaka returned to play last night for the LA Clippers after a 30-game absence due to injury.

It was already decided by LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue that Serge Ibaka will not start coming into the NBA Playoffs, but this is still huge news for the Clips.

Ibaka provides playoff and NBA Finals experience that would be valuable to any team in this league. He’s been there and done that as far as the postseason goes. From falling short in the 2012 NBA Finals, to beating a historical Golden State Warriors dynasty in the 2019 NBA Finals, Ibaka can play championship basketball.

The 12-year vet still provides plenty of elite defensive capability. He won’t be the starter, at least for now, but he found plenty of ways to contribute to his Finals-winning run while coming off the bench in 2019.

He doesn’t need to start to be effective in a championship run. In six games off of the bench in the 2019 NBA Finals, Ibaka averaged double-digit points at 11.3 points per game, and almost had two blocks per game at 1.7. That all came in just 19.3 minutes per contest.

Regardless of whether Ibaka starts or not, he’ll be a key contributor in the playoffs this year.

Ibaka also hit one-third of his threes that series, not too shabby for a center.

His numbers may be down this year, but it’s not completely fair to judge those due to him being limited to just 40 games in 2021. Injuries made their impact on Ibaka, but with him healthier, there’s no doubt that he’ll show up come postseason time.

Ibaka’s leadership will also be huge. Starting center Ivica Zubac only has a few playoff series under his belt.

Having a veteran like Ibaka that not only can still produce but can also serve the team as a leader in the postseason matters.