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Thunder preseason: Serge Ibaka working on expanding his game

The 6'10, 235 pound power forward made two three-pointers in a 108-101 win over the Nuggets on Sunday night.

Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

As a member of the Thunder in 2011-12, a team that went to the NBA FInals after becoming Western Conference champions, Serge Ibaka averaged 9.1 points and 0.4 assists per game. His main contribution to the team came on the other side of the court, where Ibaka earned NBA All-Defensive First Team after leading the team and the rest of the NBA in blocks with 3.7 per game.

In the 2012-13 season, though, the 6'10, 235 pound power forward has been working on adding a new element to his game that could make him a bigger offensive threat. Thunder Head Coach told Nick Gallo of NBA.com not to be surprised to see Ibaka taking shots from beyond the three-point arch in the upcoming season:

"We still need Serge to stay within a range where he's going to make a high percentage," Brooks said. "He's worked on it and he makes them in practice. It's not something that we're just experimenting during games. He's definitely worked on them in practice and he's taking them... There are going to be nights where he's open. And we all feel confident (in him), especially in the corners. I think that range, 22 feet, he can knock that down."

That comes just one day after the Thunder defeated the Nuggets on Sunday night and Ibaka hit two three-pointers from the corner. In his three-year career, Ibaka has attempted just five three-pointers, making two of them.