For the second year in a row, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have to play the remainder of the NBA playoffs without a member of their Big 3. Last year, Russell Westbrook was sidelined with a a torn meniscus, which ultimately led to an early second round exit. Friday afternoon, it was announced that power forward Serge Ibaka will be sidelined for the Western Conference Finals — and beyond — with a calf injury.
Thunder say forward Serge Ibaka is expected to miss the remainder of the 2014 postseason with a left calf injury.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) May 16, 2014
Ibaka suffered the injury during the series-clinching Game 6 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday night, and did not finish the game. While the loss of Ibaka isn’t as devastating as losing Westbrook last season, it leaves the Thunder without their only true rim protector, as Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison and Steven Adams are more, um, land-based interior defenders.
Somewhere, Tony Parker and his sore hamstring just breathed a very loud sigh of relief.
[Twitter]
