Three reasons why Serge Ibaka is invaluable to the Toronto Raptors

Defensive Presence

Serge Ibaka’s defensive abilities have been vital to the success of the Toronto Raptors this season (as well as last). Ibaka is the team’s lone rim protector unless you count Boucher, who also can swat a ball or two when Nurse finds minutes for him.

Even though Ibaka is averaging under a block per game this season, his presence in the paint is still hard to ignore for opposing players. He provides an intimidation factor for opposing scorers that wouldn’t be present if he wasn’t on the floor.

Ibaka’s defensive abilities are needed even more with the limited bodies Toronto has down low. Until Gasol gets healthy, the Raptors will be relying on Ibaka to be the defensive anchor, and he is more than capable of doing that.

Opponents are shooting under 40 percent in the paint this season when Ibaka is the primary defender. His defensive rating is currently 105.2, the lowest it has been since his last season with the Thunder. Don’t let the lack of blocks fool you, Serge is still a force to be reckoned with down low.

Along with his interior defence, Ibaka’s perimeter defence has been stellar this season. In today’s switch-happy NBA, Ibaka can hold his own if left on an island, something Nick Nurse has to love. This puts less stress on Toronto’s coaching staff when game planning.

When it comes to defence, Ibaka’s inside presence is the thing that the Raptors value most. He is the team’s enforcer down low, making it hard for players to score and even sprinkling in a nasty block every so often, giving older Raptors fans Charles Oakley flashbacks. It’s fair to say he is the Raptors’ only proven shot blocker (Boucher is getting there), and that makes Serge a very important piece to Toronto’s puzzle, defensively.