By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After being sidelined since the back surgery during the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Serge Ibaka suited up and lasted eight minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers in the home win versus the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
“I’m good conditioning-wise, health-wise thank god,” mentioned the Congolese-Spanish forward/center describing his return to action, “I’m grateful to be back. The first game in a while, but the most important thing is I’m healthy. I’m good.”
Ibaka, 32, last played early in the best-of-seven series against the Dallas Mavericks with his side down, 2-0. The Clippers returned to advance in seven games and went on to eliminate the Utah Jazz in six games before falling in six games to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals. Certainly, a long stay on the injury list stretching into the new season.
“It was rough, but it’s normal,” added Ibaka on his first game in almost six months, “It’s normal. It was rough, but I just want to thank the coach for putting me back in again, so now I’m gonna go in the gym now to lift, to get ready for the next game, so move on and get focused on the next game.”
He did not score on 0/3 field goals and committed five fouls in the eight minutes of action, also featuring one rebound, one assist, and one block.
The head coach Tyronn Lue will be tasked to fit in Ibaka along with Croatian starter Ivica Zubac and German reserve Isaiah Hartenstein. The European combination has been piling up most of the minutes at center, through the 5-4 start to the Regular Season.
Coming up, the five remaining fixtures on the six-game homestand started with the comeback win opposite the Hornets and to continue against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
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