They’ll be happy to see Serge Ibaka back in town Friday in Toronto, when he plays his first game there since Feb. 25, 2020. The Clippers — who will be missing both of their other big men — will be glad to have him available. 1,060 more words
Serge Ibaka back in Toronto for the first time as a Clipper — Orange County Register
Clippers center Serge Ibaka underwent back surgery in Los Angeles on Thursday and will miss the remainder of the playoffs, the team said in a news release Friday. 495 more words
Clippers center Serge Ibaka undergoes back surgery — Press Enterprise
The team continues to be cautious with the veteran center, who is expected to miss his 30th game with lower back tightness.
Clippers signal Serge Ibaka will miss another game – with only 2 more left — Orange County Register
Starting at center for the L.A. Clippers … Serge Ibaka. The veteran 7-footer’s presence on the floor for the opening tip of Friday’s preseason opener at Staples Center wasn’t an experiment, coach Tyronn Lue said after his squad lost the Lakers, 87-81. Ibaka is the starter. “Zu started the last couple years and did a…
Serge Ibaka is Clippers’ starting center, Lue says — Daily Bulletin
At the end of a quiet second day of NBA free agency, the Clippers made some noise. That sound? Celebration. And maybe some relief. Serge Ibaka agreed to a deal with the Clippers on Saturday evening, according to multiple reports. The 7-footer reportedly will sign for two years, $19 million, with a player option for…
Clippers nab veteran center Serge Ibaka on Day 2 of NBA free agency — Whittier Daily News
Serge Ibaka arrived at his media availability on Tuesday in a walking boot. Read More
Ankle sprain puts Raptors’ Ibaka in walking boot, questionable for Game 6 — Toronto Sun
Serge Ibaka arrived at his media availability on Tuesday in a walking boot.
He sprained his left ankle midway through the second half in Monday’s Game 5 loss and is officially listed as questionable for Game 6 on Wednesday.
Head coach Nick Nurse seemed to be suggesting the injury is not a serious one.
“I think we’ll certainly wait and see there,” Nurse said of coming up with alternatives should Ibaka not be able to go. “But just like always, we go to the next guy.
“Don’t know who that is yet. We’ve obviously played Chris Boucher some in this series. Could be Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson), could be somebody else, but we’ll just wait and see on that. Same as always: If he’s there, we’ll play him. I think there’s a good chance of that. If he’s not, then we’ll move on to the next guy and see if we can get him ready to go.”
“We’ll see how I feel tomorrow.” Serge Ibaka isn’t sure how his ankle will hold up for tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/qvqLXb3hTF— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) September 8, 2020
Ibaka has been an underappreciated source of consistent production for the Raptors into this second round of the playoffs.
He’s Nurse’s first or second reserve off the bench and with starting centre Marc Gasol struggling to find his whole game — he’s still doing his stellar job on defence and passing the basketball — Ibaka has been more important than ever.
Through nine playoff games, Ibaka is averaging 12 points a night and just over eight rebounds.
Like Nurse, Fred VanVleet suggested he would be surprised if Ibaka is not in uniform Wednesday given his reputation as a guy who takes care of himself and his body better than most.
The first round is in the rearview mirror now for the Raptors, but the path ahead potentially got a little tougher. The Raptors did the expected and handled the undermanned Nets in quick fashion for the first sweep in franchise history, but nine minutes into the Game 4 knockout punch, a 150-122 win, the Raptors’ […]
Raptors complete the sweep but Lowry injury has everyone a little nervous — Toronto Sun
Author of the article:Mike GanterPublishing date:Aug 24, 2020 • Last Updated 11 hours ago • 4 minute read
The first round is in the rearview mirror now for the Raptors, but the path ahead potentially got a little tougher.
The Raptors did the expected and handled the undermanned Nets in quick fashion for the first sweep in franchise history, but nine minutes into the Game 4 knockout punch, a 150-122 win, the Raptors’ worst fears may have been realized.
Kyle Lowry, on the move, stepped on Chris Chiozza’s foot and turned his left ankle just as he reached the Nets three-point line. Lowry, as is his custom, was up to argue the lack of a foul call on the play but did so limping. He stayed in the game for the next possession but at the first stoppage jogged, again limping, directly to the locker room, not to be seen again.
Without imaging equipment at the arena in Orlando, Lowry was taken off-site (but still in the bubble) to have the ankle looked at. He is scheduled to have an MRI on the arch of his left foot on Monday.
Head coach Nick Nurse knows exactly what losing Lowry, going into a series with Boston, will mean.
“I won’t be very comfortable without Kyle out there, I will say that. He’s certainly a big engine for us,” Nurse said. “But I would say, I think that we play a system or a style where lots of guys are involved and it’s not like, yeah, we’re going to miss all those great, great things Kyle does if he doesn’t play, but somebody else has got to take shots and play defence and play tough and do the things that he does to make up for it. Or we do it by committee, that’s probably a better way.”
But Nurse was not ready to concede anything to the injury gods just yet.
“It would hurt us a lot,” Nurse said. “All I can say is, you guys know how big a cog he is to this whole thing. He’s our most experienced, toughest leader we got. I don’t want to speculate and answer a million questions on whether he’s playing or not until we know whether he’s playing or not and we’ve got a few days for that.
“But I would imagine this: It’s going to be a hell of an injury to keep him off the floor. It’s not going to be a little thing. He’s going to try to figure it out. He played, I don’t know how many, 14 or 16 straight playoff games last year with a totally messed up left thumb, running through the Finals last year. It’s going to take something pretty serious to keep him out.”
Lowry’s absence for the bulk of Game 4 further complicated things for the Raptors who were already making do without Fred VanVleet, who picked up three quick fouls in the first seven minutes and would not return to the game until the third quarter.
Throw in some early foul trouble for reserve guards Norm Powell and Terence Davis and one might think the Raptors were in a little trouble.
But if this team has shown one consistent trait this year, it is being able to absorb a blow that might dismantle others and find a way to win. Sunday night that trait was in full view.
Powell and Serge Ibaka came off the bench and helped the Raptors put up 77 in that first half, which is a franchise record for a playoff game.
“Breakin’ records.”
First postseason series sweep ☑️ pic.twitter.com/DlKoLZ9Ryd— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) August 24, 2020
Powell finished with a playoff-best 29 points in 24 minutes on 9-of-14 shooting. Right with him was Ibaka, who 27 points and a team-best 15 rebounds in just 20 minutes.
VanVleet returned to the floor to start the second half but wound up playing just 19 minutes.
Playing without key men is nothing new to the Raptors. They’ve done it all season with everyone on the team missing time at some point due to injury with the exception of OG Anunoby and Davis.
“One thing about us, we know we have a lot of guys who can play,” Ibaka said after the game. “We don’t really worry about who’s going to score 30 or 40 every night. We are not that type of team where one guy is going to score 30 or 40. So we just come and try to play basketball: Move the ball, whoever’s hot, we’re going to go with him, and that’s why we are always there, even when we have guys down.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhS3CnGZn2k?embed_config={%27relatedChannels%27:%20[],%27autonav%27:true}&autoplay=0&playsinline=1
As good as Powell and Ibaka were, the Raptors bench as a whole deserved a ton of credit in this one. It scored 100 points with contributions and scoring from all eight reserves that took the floor — a Raptors and an NBA record.
The old playoff mark was 86 set by Dallas. The all-time mark for bench points from a team in a game was set by Golden State with 94 in 1977.
The Raptors win sets up the much-anticipated second-round matchup with the Boston Celtics who themselves completed the sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the day. The two Atlantic-division foes have never met in the playoffs.
The Celtics lost guard Gordon Hayward with an ankle injury of his own earlier in the playoff round but they still boast a tough lineup with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, and now likely Marcus Smart joining the starting five with Hayward out.
Already this season the two teams have played four highly entertaining games with the Celtics winning three including one since the re-start.
RAPTORS-CELTICS SCHEDULE (Best-of-seven series)
Game 1 – Thursday, August 27
Game 2 – Saturday, August 29
Game 3 – Monday, August 31
Game 4 – Wednesday, September 2
Game 5* – Friday, September 4
Game 6* – Sunday, September 6
Game 7* – Tuesday, September 8
Serge Ibaka didn’t have to start to finish off the Brooklyn Nets. Read More
WOLSTAT: Ibaka was massive in Raptors sweep of Nets — Toronto Sun
Serge Ibaka didn’t have to start to finish off the Brooklyn Nets.
The Raptors big man had his third strong game in the four first-round contests on Sunday, completely dominating the Nets at both ends of the floor.
A game after hauling down 13 rebounds off the bench, three behind Bismack Biyombo’s reserve record, Ibaka had 15. He also scored 27 points, which would have been a new franchise scoring mark for a reserve, except Norman Powell bested him with 29 as the team set an NBA bench mark with 100 points from the pine. Ibaka hit each of his three three-point attempts for the second game in a row and Brooklyn had no answers for him.
It was the fourth time Ibaka had scored at least 20 in a non-starting role, extending his Raptors record, and he was the first player with at least 27 and 15 off the bench since Mychal Thompson in 1988.
Ibaka collected his fifth playoff double-double as a Raptor, which tied him with Chris Bosh (who granted did it in far fewer games) and two behind Pascal Siakam, who also posted a double-double on Sunday.
Heading into Game 4, his best of the series, Toronto had already been 27.1 points per 100 possessions better with Ibaka on the floor compared to when he was on the bench against the Nets.
Ibaka even handed out eight assists in the series — many of them quite pretty helpers — against only three turnovers.
Starting centre Marc Gasol was pretty average against Brooklyn for the most part, and much more will be expected out of him in the next round against the Boston Celtics. But it’s unclear if that’s a good matchup, since Boston is small and quick. It’s quite possible that Ibaka will be called on quite a bit in what projects to be a razor-thin series.
Ibaka said post-game that Boston presents many challenges.
“We know they’re a great team. They’re playing one of the best basketball right now, and they have confidence,” he said. “We know it’s not going to be easier. We have to come to play our best basketball against them.”
The Celtics had their way with Toronto earlier this month in Orlando, with Ibaka turning in perhaps his worst game of the year, but the big man was decent-to-excellent in the other three meetings, though Boston won three of the four.
Ibaka will become an unrestricted free agent whenever this season ends, so it’s possible these are his final games as a Raptor. If that’s the case, he will have left quite the legacy with his big playoff moments. Ibaka hit some massive shots and made some huge defensive stands against the likes of Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Golden State. He’ll surely be called on again as these playoffs continue.
SIXERS FALL SHORT
When Kawhi Leonard’s miraculous four-bounce shot fell last year, the Raptors were elated to survive what would end up being their toughest series on the way to the NBA title.
With young superstars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, plus Jimmy Butler, JJ Redick and Tobias Harris, Philadelphia seemed to be on the verge of being a major force for years to come. But much like when the Raptors lost to the Sixers back in 2001 with the future looking so bright for Toronto before it all fell apart, Philadelphia seems poised to be going down that road too.
They meekly bowed out against Boston on Sunday, getting swept. Head coach Brett Brown is expected to be fired. Embiid has once again said he needs to be better and Simmons is trying to get healthy. Oh, and they project to have one of the biggest payrolls in league history next year, despite letting Butler and Redick go and oddly adding big man Al Horford.
Not great, Bob.
Meanwhile, Boston looks great and Jaylen Brown said after the sweep when asked if the Celtics had a better team than last year’s group that fell in five games in Round 2 to Milwaukee: “I think we’re a better team and I think we’ll prove it.”
The Sixers probably think they’re a better team than they showed too, but don’t expect them to get a chance to prove that. There will be changes coming.
LUKA MAGIC
In Sunday’s thrilling overtime win against Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers, young superstar Luka Doncic became only the third player with a 40-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist playoff game. Charles Barkley did it in 1993 for Phoenix, Oscar Robertson in 1963 with Cincinnati.
Doncic also joined Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kawhi and Damian Lillard as the only players to score at least 40 in a post-season game and hit a buzzer-beater, according to Basketball-reference. Only Magic Johnson posted consecutive playoff triple-doubles at a younger age than Doncic.
Oh, and Doncic did it on a severely sprained ankle.
It never made sense that three teams decided to pass on the Slovenian sensation when given the chance and it never will.
AROUND THE RIM
Paul George is not having much of a series against Dallas. He’s averaging just 15.3 points per game on 29% shooting … Toronto improved to 10-7 in potential series closeout games and now only the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves have never swept a four-game series … NBA coach of the year Nick Nurse now has a 20-8 playoff record and will tie Dwane Casey for the team record with his next win.
Serge Ibaka has been around the NBA long enough to know when a team is getting locked in. Read More
Ibaka looks around him and sees a team primed to defend its title — Toronto Sun
Keeping 17 NBA bodies finely tuned and chiselled is no easy feat at the best of times. Read More
Raptors’ fitness is in good hands, if even at a distance — Toronto Sun
Keeping 17 NBA bodies finely tuned and chiselled is no easy feat at the best of times.
But try doing it without being able to take any of those 17 into the gym, or even see them face to face for what looks like it will be at least a month and probably longer, and the job becomes infinitely tougher.
That is the task that falls to Raptors strength and conditioning coach Jon Lee.
But instead of tough, Lee is finding he has a lot of help from within these days, most of it coming from various veterans on the team.
In fact, Lee’s biggest concern right now is that the condo building floors of Serge Ibaka’s Toronto abode are sufficiently reinforced to withstand all the weights and equipment he’s having sent in.
“He was on the phone to me two days after (the Raptors’) self-isolation period began,” Lee said of the veteran big man. “I was packing up stuff from OVO (the Raptors’ practice facility) and getting it delivered to him. Today, I just had more stuff delivered over to him. I won’t be surprised if I have to send over more stuff in two days.”
It’s to the point now where Lee is only half-joking when he says he is concerned about the building Ibaka lives in, and whether it can take all that weight and equipment without causing some sort of cave-in.
But Ibaka is not the only Raptor pushing himself at home while the rest of us work on those worn-in marks on our collective couches.
Ibaka might be the extreme when it comes to wanting to maintain his fitness level while the world works on overcoming this coronavirus pandemic, but he’s not alone in a desire to stay at or as near as possible playing form.
Lee has another player — he chooses not to name him — who not only updates him daily with his workouts, but sends him screenshots of said workout complete with heart rates at particular intervals of said workout.
“This player is so highly motivated he went out and (purchased and had delivered) his own (equipment),” Lee said. “His own weights, his own bench, a monitoring system … That’s one area I am truly lucky in. We have real professional guys and when it comes down to our veteran guys, I really don’t have to worry.”
Even the young guys, who might not be as diligent in their daily workouts, hear from the veterans. Lee knows because they tell him.
The message is always a variation of the same truth: “We got that championship last year and we’re not happy with that,” Lee says. “We’re getting another one. We’re going to fight until we get the second one. We are in a position this year where we have a great chance.”
All that, of course, is contingent on this season actually being completed. Lee though says the work must go on and he has had absolutely zero pushback when he delivers that message.
“Be ready,” he tells them. “Be ready. We could be starting in one month, we could be starting in two months but you better be ready for us.”
More…
Raptors’ fitness is in good hands, if even at a distance — Toronto Sun
IN JURY REPORT 8:30 P.M. THURSDAY
Golden State Warriors Bowman, Ky Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
Green, Draymond Out Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Soreness
Looney, Kevon Out Injury/Illness – Left Hip; Soreness
Smailagic, Alen Out Injury/Illness – Right Quadriceps; Contusion
Thompson, Klay Out Injury/Illness – Left Acl; Rehabilitation
Toronto Raptors Brissett, Oshae Out G League – Two-Way
Gasol, Marc Doubtful Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Tightness
Hernandez, Dewan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
Ibaka, Serge Probable Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Soreness
VanVleet, Fred Doubtful Injury/Illness – Left Shoulder; Soreness
Watson, Paul Out G League – Two-Way
INJURY REPORT 5:30 P.M. THURSDAY
Golden State Warriors Bowman, Ky Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
Game Date Game Time Matchup Team Player Name Current Status Reason
Green, Draymond Questionable Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Soreness
Looney, Kevon Out Injury/Illness – Left Hip; Soreness
Smailagic, Alen Out Injury/Illness – Right Quadriceps; Contusion
Thompson, Klay Out Injury/Illness – Left Acl; Rehabilitation
Toronto Raptors Brissett, Oshae Out G League – Two-Way
Gasol, Marc Questionable Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Tightness
Hernandez, Dewan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
Ibaka, Serge Questionable Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Soreness
VanVleet, Fred Questionable Injury/Illness – Left Shoulder; Soreness
Watson, Paul Out G League – Two-Way
Stephen Curry will return to the Golden State Warriors lineup Thursday night against the NBA champion Toronto Raptors — a rematch of last season’s final — and he expects to be limited to between 24-28 minutes
He has missed 58 games since suffering a broken bone in his left hand against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 30. The hand required two surgeries.
“It feels like the first day of school all over again, which is exciting,” Curry told reporters in San Francisco at the Warriors shootaround.said. “I feel pretty comfortable and pretty confident with where I’m at physically. I’m excited to get back out there.”
The anticipation ahead of Curry’s return is palpable. After shootaround at the Chase Center.
Meanwhile, the Raptors listed three players as questionable for the game — Marc Gasol (hamstring), Serge Ibaka (knee) and Fred VanVleet (shoulder). Gasol has missed 14 games and Ibaka and VanVleet three each. Ibaka and VanVleet indicated before Tuesday’s win over the Phoenix Suns that they hoped to play Thursday, the third of a five-game Western Conference road trip.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he intends to play Curry in in five- or six-minute bursts while keeping his minute total about 25 on Thursday.
Curry will be trying to end a career-long losing streak at home. When the Warriors lost to the Suns on Oct. 30 after Curry left with a broken hand, it marked the fifth straight loss at home for the Warriors with Curry was in the lineup. The previous worst had been four consecutive losses with the All-Star guard in the lineup.
Curry and the Warriors dropped three consecutive home games at Oracle in the NBA Finals against the Raptors in June, including a 114-110 defeat in Toronto’s title-clinching Game 6 win on June 13. And then the Warriors dropped both of their games at Chase Center with Curry playing in October.
Both teams are coming off victories on Tuesday. The Warriors startled the Nuggets 116-100 at Denver for only their 14th win this season. Toronto won 123-114 at Phoenix.
According to STATS:
The Indiana Pacers played like they hit every club in Toronto on Saturday night in getting blown off the court by the Raptors on Sunday. That said, give the Raptors some credit too. 120 more words
Woz Blog: Ibaka has exceeded all expectations for Raptors — Toronto Sun
The view from left field 