Has Ibaka's offensive game declined

Chriscross · Post #1 » by **Chriscross** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 5:39 am

What has happened to Ibaka's offensive game? Feels like ever since Westbrook and Durant went down early last season and he was expected to carry the load offensively, his game has made a sharp decline.

Did his attempt to add a 3 point shot to his game actually hurt his game overall? I'm curious because I was actually expecting improved numbers when he decided to add a 3 pointer to his game and especially with him just entering his prime. All numbers across the board are down.

12-13 - TS%: .612, WS/48: .181, 13.2 PPG on 57.3% FG%
13-14 - TS%: .576, WS/48: .173, 15.1 PPG on 53.6% FG%
14-15 - TS%: .549, WS/48: .127, 14.3 PPG on 47.6% FG%
15-16 - TS%: .542, WS/48: .111, 12.8 PPG on 48.9% FG%

nuttybuddy009 · Post #2 » by **nuttybuddy009** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 5:54 am

Always been a one-dimensional player. More was expected from him because of how he developed early in his career. However, he's pretty much been the same player since 2012/2013.

Old Man Game · Post #3 » by **Old Man Game** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 5:54 am

Chriscross wrote:What has happened to Ibaka's offensive game? Feels like ever since Westbrook and Durant went down early last season and he was expected to carry the load offensively, his game has made a sharp decline.

Did his attempt to add a 3 point shot to his game actually hurt his game overall? I'm curious because I was actually expecting improved numbers when he decided to add a 3 pointer to his game and especially with him just entering his prime. All numbers across the board are down.

12-13 - TS%: .612, WS/48: .181, 13.2 PPG on 57.3% FG%
13-14 - TS%: .576, WS/48: .173, 15.1 PPG on 53.6% FG%
14-15 - TS%: .549, WS/48: .127, 14.3 PPG on 47.6% FG%
15-16 - TS%: .542, WS/48: .111, 12.8 PPG on 48.9% FG%

Last season was such a struggle to find role overall with all the injuries. Then this season he just does not jive with whatever the hell it is Bill is trying to run out there.

Chriscross · Post #4 » by **Chriscross** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 5:57 am

nuttybuddy009 wrote:Always been a one-dimensional player. More was expected from him because of how he developed early in his career. However, he's pretty much been the same player since 2012/2013.

Except he isn't the same player since 12/13. His overall game has declined.

Old Man Game · Post #5 » by **Old Man Game** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 5:57 am

nuttybuddy009 wrote:Always been a one-dimensional player. More was expected from him because of how he developed early in his career. However, he's pretty much been the same player since 2012/2013.

You'd be amazed how many people around here (OKC) just presume he should be some back to the basket scorer by now. Local radio blowhard idiot sports guy went on a 15 minute diatribe one day about how it clearly showed either Ibaka just wasn't doing the work or the Thunder organization hadn't asked him to develop a post game. :banghead:

Post #6 » by **bondom34** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 6:03 am

THis pretty much is who he is. He can't really dribble/pass a ton, hes really limited that way.

OptionZero · Post #7 » by **OptionZero** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 6:06 am

He defends the rim and has 3P range, and he's not a stiff on the perimeter. Thats pretty much the NBA coach's wet dream, a necessity in the NBA.

So he's not as uber-versatile as Draymond Green or a scoring threat from everywhere like AD or KAT - it doesn't mean he's not a pretty good player, with a vital skill set.

If OKC wants to find someone to blame, it should look at the rest of its roster after KD/RW and Ibaka. Lots of one-dimensional specialists and zero 3/D wings.

if Ibaka had a mid-range game, or a handle to create more, he'd basically be Garnett or Sheed. No shame not being that good and he's not overpaid

miltk · Post #8 » by **miltk** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 7:15 am

ibaka is kind of a big mbah moute who found a home in okc. except it was obvious very early that lrmm would never show good offense so he stuck with his D instead - mbah moute figured out who he was. ibaka otoh hasn't. he's a role player who was thrust into the spotlight as part of a "big 3". he never was but he believed he was. kinda like a supporting actor who wins an oscar but can't carry a movie as a star.

i think ibaka is the most lost soul on okc. well,,,,adams is lost too but he's kinda just,,,,lost.
everything ibaka was has been lost because he thinks he's someone else. :banghead:

i think okc needs, and i've been saying they need, a THIRD. this will put ibaka back to his rightful place in the food chain, but okc's starting lineup relies on ibaka to be #3.

Enso · Post #9 » by **Enso** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 7:22 am

miltk wrote:ibaka is kind of a big mbah moute who found a home in okc. except it was obvious very early that lrmm would never show good offense so he stuck with his D instead - mbah moute figured out who he was. ibaka otoh hasn't. he's a role player who was thrust into the spotlight as part of a "big 3". he never was but he believed he was. kinda like a supporting actor who wins an oscar but can't carry a movie as a star.

i think ibaka is the most lost soul on okc. well,,,,adams is lost too but he's kinda just,,,,lost.
everything ibaka was has been lost because he thinks he's someone else.

i think okc needs, and i've been saying they need, a THIRD. this will put ibaka back to his rightful place in the food chain, but okc's starting lineup relies on ibaka to be #3.

miltk · Post #10 » by **miltk** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 8:12 am

Enso wrote:
miltk wrote:ibaka is kind of a big mbah moute who found a home in okc. except it was obvious very early that lrmm would never show good offense so he stuck with his D instead - mbah moute figured out who he was. ibaka otoh hasn't. he's a role player who was thrust into the spotlight as part of a "big 3". he never was but he believed he was. kinda like a supporting actor who wins an oscar but can't carry a movie as a star.

i think ibaka is the most lost soul on okc. well,,,,adams is lost too but he's kinda just,,,,lost.
everything ibaka was has been lost because he thinks he's someone else.

i think okc needs, and i've been saying they need, a THIRD. this will put ibaka back to his rightful place in the food chain, but okc's starting lineup relies on ibaka to be #3.

what am i talking about. okay, here's what i'm talking about. ibaka's last "good year", stat-wise and according to the OP, was in '12/'13, and '12/'13 was when okc had martin, who left the following year and ibaka's O has declined ever since because he's been thrust into the #3 role,,,which he ISN'T suited for.

that's what the hell i'm talking about.

follow?

ps. and koinky-dinky,,,okc is looking for a wing.

follow?

Manute Lol · Post #11 » by **Manute Lol** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 8:45 am

Yeah, I agree that Serge should be more of a tertiary option on offense than a secondary option. In other words, the Thunder could use a #3 scorer better than Ibaka after KD and Russ. That's no real knock on Serge, though. He's still really valuable.

Revived · Post #12 » by **Revived** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 9:41 am

His offense could improve but so could his work on rebounding...its piss poor for a player with his athleticism and ability.

sca · Post #13 » by **sca** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 10:02 am

Man, watching the OKC is so frustrating. They have 2 of the top 5, 6, 7 whatever players, some great complementary pieces, but they're still clearly way behind the Warriors and the Spurs.

On paper, Ibaka is the perfect complementary big. He's very athletic, he's very good at meeting guys at the rim, he has range up to three point line, etc. You'd expect him and a good defensive big such as Adams to anchor a much better defense than the 14th.

Hero · Post #14 » by **Hero** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 10:08 am

SF88 wrote:His offense could improve but so could his work on rebounding...its piss poor for a player with his athleticism and ability.

OKC is 2nd in the league in rebounds. What matters is how the team as whole rebounds with him on the floor not his individual numbers.

Pillendreher · Post #15 » by **Pillendreher** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 10:09 am

We've sucked at defensive rebounding tho and that's where Ibaka has been one of the worst bigmen this season

Bergmaniac · Post #16 » by **Bergmaniac** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 11:07 am

His offensive game has always been limited strictly to shooting open jumpshots, he's pretty terrible at everything else on that end. But this year for whatever reason Donovan wants him to shoot almost exclusively long 2s instead of 3s which is hurting his efficiency.

durden_tyler · Post #17 » by **durden_tyler** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 11:12 am

He's not too happy playing with Westbrook and Durant, methinks.

Bergmaniac · Post #18 » by **Bergmaniac** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 11:15 am

durden_tyler wrote:He's not too happy playing with Westbrook and Durant, methinks.

He gets about 95% of his points of these two feeding him for wide-open looks or layups, why wouldn't be happy?

Cuban_Linx · Post #19 » by **Cuban_Linx** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 2:12 pm

Ibaka is who he's always been. It's just that the new coach is using him in completely different ways on both ends of the floor and Ibaka, having absolutely no BBIQ to speak of, just has no idea how to be effective now.

On one hand a lot of it is on him for being unable to expand his game, but on the other hand it's also on Donovan who has been using him terribly on the offensive end.

At the end of the day he's just a role player and like every other role player his production depends heavily on how his coach is using him.

Cuban_Linx · Post #20 » by **Cuban_Linx** » Sun Feb 7, 2016 2:19 pm

sca wrote:Man, watching the OKC is so frustrating. They have 2 of the top 5, 6, 7 whatever players, some great complementary pieces, but they're still clearly way behind the Warriors and the Spurs.

On paper, Ibaka is the perfect complementary big. He's very athletic, he's very good at meeting guys at the rim, he has range up to three point line, etc. You'd expect him and a good defensive big such as Adams to anchor a much better defense than the 14th.

They are anchoring a top defense tho. Ibaka has fallen off, but Adams has been top notch on that end this season. It's just that Adams only plays 25 mpg and our defense falls off a cliff as soon as anyone else but the starters play.