The Oklahoma City Thunder are hardly a one-man show. Heck, they’re not even a two-man show. While Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook get all the love, the NBA postseason awards are also showing just how excellent the rest of the roster is. Serge Ibaka is the latest Thunder player to win an award, being named this afternoon to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team by the league’s coaches.
“It’s good for myself and for my team,” Ibaka said. “It’s something that really gives us more confidence to keep working on my defense, keep being aggressive and trying to help my team. Also, I want to thank all my teammates… (Kendrick) Perkins helps me a lot. Nick (Collison) also, Nazr (Mohammed), all the guys, it’s about team because they will trust me.”
Ibaka was the second leading vote-getter after LeBron James, and his teammates praised him for his work this season.
“He does things that not a lot of guys can do throughout the season (like) getting ten blocks a number of times,” Westbrook said. “He’s become a great pick-and-roll defender, help side he does a lot of great things defensively. I’m definitely happy for him.”
Earlier today, Durant and Westbrook were named to the All NBA first and second teams respectively. James Harden won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in recent weeks.