Three Toronto Raptors players who are having career years

Serge Ibaka

When Serge Ibaka lined up at power forward against the Cleveland Cavaliers two seasons ago, it felt like his days of being an impactful player for the Toronto Raptors were long gone. Ibaka, in truth, looked washed.

And then he made the switch back to his more natural position of center and the results were incredible. Last year, Ibaka averaged 15 points,  8.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, shooting 53-percent from the field and 29-percent from three.

Until the arrival of Marc Gasol, Ibaka was a regular starter for the Raptors, but once his Spanish compatriot arrived, Ibaka was relegated to a role on the bench but didn’t miss a beat. His performances against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals were vital in helping the Raptors progress, and his three-pointer in the face of Ben Simmons is an often forgotten about moment in the series.

It was a lot to expect Ibaka to be as good as he was last season, but in truth, he’s become even better. He’s averaging a career-high 16 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, shooting 52-percent from the field and 40-percent from deep.

With Gasol missing considerable time, Ibaka has split his minutes between the bench and the starting line-up. He’s excelled in both scenarios, giving the Raptors energy off the bench and meshing well with the starters

Now in the final year of his contract, Ibaka will be looking to prove that he’s worth some considerable money in the offseason. So far, he’s done a pretty good job.