Serge Ibaka was expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a calf strain, but he returned to the court on Sunday night to contribute 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in a huge 106-97 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in game three of the Western Conference Finals.
After the ballgame, Thunder star Kevin Durant told the media that he “gained even more respect for Ibaka” after the power forwards heroic effort.
“When you talk about a teammate, that’s everything you want in a teammate,” Durant told reporters. “I gained so much more respect for Serge for sacrificing himself for the team.
“Regardless of what happened tonight, that’s something you want beside you.”
The Thunder head into game four on Tuesday trailing the Spurs 2-1.