Ibaka's surge to the NBA

OKC big man Serge Ibaka/ Photo taken by Keith Allison/ Flickr.com

In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the whole city is wild and pleased with the chances of their basketball team winning their first Larry O'Brien Trophy. The Oklahoma City Thunder unexpectedly swept the defending champions Dallas Mavericks, who people thought would give the team some trouble.

Just last year, the Mavericks beat the Thunder 4-2, but this year the Thunder has gained experience and they came back stronger than ever. Spotlights are shining on the team, mostly the trio of Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook, and their 6th man James Harden, but their big man Serge Ibaka lacks recognition. Ibaka is an energetic player who brings excitement to the crowd and the team, and he should be highlighted as a reason to the team's success.

Ibaka is known to block shots, and get rebounds. He is actually a significant reason why the Thunder have been doing so well. Inside the league, Ibaka is a humbled athlete, not asking for support or recognition. He is the type of player that gives the team a 100% each game, helping the team win. Some might not know why he is so humbled, but his past actually made him the person that he is today.

Ibaka was born on September 18, 1989, in the Republic of Congo, an impoverished country in northern Africa, to a mother and father who both played basketball. While his father played professionally in Africa and playing for the national team for the Republic of Congo, his mother played for national team for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ibaka has 17 siblings, but he only lived around 10 of them. That means that he probably didn't receive proper care from his parents. Ibaka was a caring and loving person, "I liked growing up in a family atmosphere,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "Family pride is very important to me, which is also a common thing in Africa. You grow up with a strong sense of family...We took care of each other."

Ibaka started playing basketball at the age of seven, playing on the courts of the Brazaville city with his friends after school and on his free time. He purely loved the game, playing with imperfections such as cracked courts and broken shoes, "It was something that we loved so much we didn’t care about how we did it as long as we could play the game,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. Ibaka and other Africans played with cardboard inserted shoes to cover up the holes on the shoes. Ibaka wanted to play professionally, even though NBA wasn't his first destination. At age eight, his mother died due to natural reasons, and a few years later, his father was imprisoned during the beginning years of the Second Congo War. During his (technically) orphaned years, young Ibaka lived with his grandmother, with no electricity or running water. Ibaka's only escape was basketball, so he just kept on playing. "I played every day,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "If there was a day that I couldn’t play, I felt so bad, like something was missing that day."

Already ready with natural athleticism and teachings from his father, Ibaka joined a team called Avenir du Rail and outshined all the other young players. A Spanish agent noticed his talent and work ethic, and decided to make a deal to him and his family to move to Europe. For the next few years, Ibaka went around Europe, first France then Spain and he played on leagues with equal or better competition compared to the NBA D-League. When it was time for the NBA Draft 2008, Ibaka was chosen as the 28th pick overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ibaka became the only person drafted for the NBA draft from the Republic of Congo. Ibaka along with his family was emotional when his name was called during the day of the NBA Draft.

From a horrible past to a fabulous life now, Ibaka's hardworking mindset has significantly transformed his life. "After watching him play, (I noticed) his attitude and personality. He was a fighter, a winner, a leader. And after talking to him, his mind and focus (stood out). He was a hard worker and ready to sacrifice for achieving his dreams,” said Gallego, the Spanish agent that hired him on a newsok.com article. Maybe all his troubled times allowed him to reach his goals, but it doesn't matter, because he is currently living the life. Right now, Ibaka leads the league with 3.7 blocks per game, he had a career high 11 blocks playing against the Denver Nuggets on February 19th, 2012. Even though Ibaka doesn't contribute much offensively, he's the anchor of his team's defense. Ibaka is a big part of his team's success this season and he should be acknowledged for that.

Game 4 - What to look for

After seeing Dwayne Wade's performance in the last two games, one thing is certain for the Mavericks: Keep him out of the paint. Mavericks will certainly defend Wade tightly to make sure he does not score as well as he has been.

But this raises the question, what about Lebron James? Sure he has not contributed as much as he usually does during the last two games but if he steps up it will become a problem. Doubling up on Wade will only mean more openings for Lebron. If the Heat decide to take advantage of the tighter defence on Wade, they should do so by making Lebron penetrate the paint instead.

The Heat on the other hand have to make sure they do not foul. They especially have to make sure Dirk Nowitzki does not get to the free throw line. Nowitzki is very troublesome with his great shooting skills, already making over thirty consecutive free throw shots. If Heat can pressure the Maverick offensive without fouling and keeping Nowitzki tightly defended they will win Game 4.

NBA Finals Game 3 Analysis and Game 4 Preview

The Miami Heat's win over the Dallas Mavericks has shifted all eyes towards the Mav's players other than their stars. Players like Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion have been in the spotlight for the most part in the three games played so far against the heat. The Mavericks will have to make good use of their bench players and other talents in order to supplement the efforts of players like Nowitzski. Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler are seen as the players who must score those crucial 15 to 20 points that could easily decide the game. However, they have been coming up short with Jason Kidd not yet reaching the 10 point mark each game so far. Other players like Peja Stojakovic desperately need to start pulling their load in these final games. His presense in Game 1 and 2 went almost unnoticed as he didnt make a single point. Stojakovic made his first and only two pointer in Game 3 which hurts his dependability behind the three-point line. If the Mavs dont start pushing their unseen players, they will have too much liability resting on their star power and jeapardize the championship.

Game 3 reaction and what should happen Game 4

The lost Game 3 by two points but had many more mistakes than the scoreboard could tell
The Dallas Mavericks had runs but where behind for a large part of the game. The main problem for the Mavs is that inablity to score without Dirk . Dirk made the last 12 points for the Mavs but you can see a lack of trust Dirk has in his teammates. Miami on the other hand trusted Chris Bosh even though he shot terribly for three quarters. But i dont blame Dirk for his lack of trust. He scored nearly 40% of his teams points and 26% of their rebounds. Miami worked on getting Dwanye Wade into the post and it paid off.
Dallas must work on some one else other than Dirk , to get al least 20 points. Two players come to my mind but both Shawn Marion and Jason Terry are heavily guarded by Lebron James. Miami should continue to score in the paint which has been working for them . Dallas needs to put a body in front of James and Wade. They are allowed to much space and no one helps on defense.

Game 4 expectations

The Dallas Mavericks lost a tough home game to the Miami Heat giving the Heat a 2-1 advantage in the series. The Heat's defense has been suffocating forcing the Mavs to turn the ball over numerous times throughout the games. The players in the Heat are athletic and big making it difficult to pass the ball around and once the ball is stolen, it leads to fast break points. The Mavs must focus on how they are passing the ball around to decrease the turnovers.

Besides the turnovers, the Mavs are not shooting as well as they were in the past series. Besides Dirk Nowitzki, the other players do not have nearly the confidence as him to hit open threes. There are plays where they gave up the open three to pass to the guys in the paint. They have to trust that Tyson Chandler can get the offensive rebound even if they miss. Once the Three pointers start to go in, then the paint will open up leading to scoring inside the paint.

As usual, the Heat are playing tough defense and making it hard for the opposing team to score. They are doing their best to guard Nowitzki while not fouling him. The Heat is relentless with making the Mavs turn the ball over and making fast break points. Even though they are making stops, not all three of the “big three” are making their shots. In game three both Chris Bosh and Lebron James did not play at their standard level. They need to drive to the paint more and force the Mavs into foul troubles.

Game 4 preview

The reason for the Miami Heat win in Game 3 was because of their tight defense. Udonis Haslem did everything he could to stop Dirk Nowitzki and it all paid off as Nowitzki missed the shot that could have tied the game. Dwyane Wade stepped up to the plate and scored 29 points with 11 rebounds. Another reason for the Mavericks' loss was their silly turnovers which led to fast break points for the Miami Heat.

If the Mavericks want to win Game 4 then other players besides Nowitzki would have to step up. DeShawn Stevenson who is the starting shooting guard took only one shot. And Tyson Chandler scored only five points which is very upsetting because the Heat lack in size. Also backup point guard Jose Juan Barea missed some crucial open three pointers. If you compare the amount of playing time for the Heat starters and the Mavericks starters, you will notice that the Mavericks starters play a significant amount longer. This could lead to exhaustion for the Mavericks in which the bench should play their role and help. All of this would have to be improved for the Mavericks to win tonight in Game 4.

Game 4 preview

After the disappointing Game 3 loss the Mavericks will have to secure a win in Game 4 to give them any reasonable shot at winning the series. After the Maverick's stuning Game 2comeback to take home court advantage in the series they gave it right back after coming up short in Game 3.

Dallas has had a couple issues through the series to this point. The largest issue seems to be keeping Dwayne Wade out of the paint. Jason Kidd has taken on the responsibility of guarding Wade but the Mavericks will have to do a better job with help defense on Wade to discourage him from using his size and speed advantage to dominate Kidd.

Dirk Nowitzki also will need more help clsoing games in the fourth quarter specifically from Jason Terry who has struggled down the stretch in this series. A significant reason for this has been the Heat's decision to have Lebron James guard Jason Terry which has made Jason Terry a non factor in crunch time. As seen at the end of game three despite Nowitzki's greatness he can not hit the game winner every game.

For the Heat the one aspect of their game they must improve on to finish off the Mavericks is keeping their energy level up for the entire 48 minutes. Games 2 and 3 both featured big Mavericks comebacks after the Heat appeared to have the game in their hands. In order to prevent this from happening in game four the Heat need to keep the ball moving on offense and fight through the Mavericks screens to prevent the open three pointers.

With the series hanging in the balance Game 4 is a make or break game for the Mavericks and it could pave the way to a championship for the Heat.

Will the Heat come out on top?

The advantages the Heat have over the Mavericks are the following:

- Miami Heat is known for their tight defense. The main reason for the Chicago Bulls’ loss in game four was because of Miami’s defense. MVP Derrick Rose could not penetrate like he did in the regular season because he would be surrounded by two or three Miami jerseys.

- The Dallas Mavericks have too many old players, but this can be an advantage since they have more experienced players than the Heat. However, the Heat have speed and stamina which the Mavericks lack. Who would be able to keep up with “The Flash” Dwyane Wade? By the end of the third quarter, the Mavericks will be out of gas, while the Heat are still ready to go.

- The Dallas Mavericks are known for their excellence in three pointers. This would definitely be an advantage for the Mavericks. However, the Miami Heat have the 2011 three point champion; James Jones. Jones was the key to the Miami Heat’s victory in Game 1 against the Boston Celtics.

NBA finals: What to look for from the Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki / Keith Allison - Wikimedia Commons

It is safe to say that the Dallas Mavericks have both shocked and impressed many in the 2011 postseason. Not only have they swept the Los Angeles Lakers, they also were able to defeat the much younger Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite all of the flashy plays, the Mavericks were still able to pull through and make it to the finals.

In order to win the Finals, the Mavericks need to:
1) Keep the confidence and the aggressiveness they exhibited in the semifinals against the Lakers and conference finals against the Thunder. These two modes are big time factors in playoff success, as stated by Jack Nicklaus. "Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your talent, there is only one way to obtain it-work."

2) Use their height to their advantage. The Dallas Mavericks have a seven foot tall power foward, Dirk Nowitzki, who is one of the best shooters in the NBA, and definitely the best shooter for his height. In his stint against the Lakers, Nowitzki averaged 25.3 points a game, shooting at 0.727% from three pointer range. In the Conference Finals, he averaged 32.2 points a game. His smart shot selection and ability to play in the clutch will surely be a challenge for Miami to defend. Dirk has also been the MVP of the 2011 playoffs so far.

3) Keep up their solid defense. In the postseason against the Lakers, Dallas was able to clog up the lane and slow down Kobe Bryant. This same defense will keep LeBron James and Dwayne Wade out of the paint, and pose a harder challenge for Miami to use their speed, youth, and athletic ability. Dallas' defense also made Pau Gasol disappear. If they play the same against Miami, Chris Bosh will not be as effective, and he will be unable to fill in for James' and Wade's lower point totals.

4) Keep their guns warm and loaded. Lights-out shooting has always been a part of Dallas’ formula. In addition to Dirk, Peja Stojakovic has also shown his ability to hit threes. Jason Kidd has also stepped up. It is safe to say that Dallas has a trio of all-time range shooters. You cannot forget about Jason Terry, because this guy can get hot. In Game 4 against the Lakers, he had a playoff record-tying three-point performance.

5) Use their experience to their advantage. All four of the primary shooters have tons of playoff experience and have a track record of performing well in the clutch. It is safe to say that they will not be intimidated, even when the word Finals is printed on the floor. Miami lacks experience, because two of its three star players are missing an NBA ring, and the only player who has (Wade) did it in a landscape nothing like the NBA of today.

What to Expect From the Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki/ Keith Allison via Getty Images

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is finally in sight, and it is important to recognize the key players and advantages that the Dallas Mavericks are bringing to the game. One should look for :

1. The Mavericks will put foward Dirk Nowitzki to make crucial jumpshots and pick up their offensive game-play overall.
2. Defensively, the Mavs stand capable of limiting the Miami Heat's scoring ability with Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson.
3. Overall, they must be able to maintain their high points per game average while stopping the "Big Three" from the Heat, which includes Wade, James and Bosh.

For the Mavericks, Caron Butler's ability to play in any of the playoffs games still remains a mystery although Coach Rick Carlisle said it was not likely. This absence probably wont impact the offensive play too much for the Mavs but they could always use his consistent shooting. Before Butler was injured, he averaged about 15 points per game and that would only add to the high scoring average held by the Mavs. In terms of defense, the Mavericks will look for the ability of Tyson Chandler in playing strong defense that will shake off Dwyane Wade and Lebron James. His ability to pickup rebounds can also aid the Mavs in setting up for good shooting plays.

Why Miami Will Take It All

Dwayne Wade / Flickr

1. LeBron James and the Big 3 - The biggest factor in this series will be the coordination of James, Wade, and Bosh. If you double Lebron, Dwyane Wade will score. If you box out Wade and Lebron, Chris Bosh will make lay-ups. As long as these three are in sync, the offensive is flawless. Lebron going for the dunk is almost guaranteed scoring or foul. This massive guy is like a bull when he rushes to the rim.

2. Defense - This is a strong point, and was key to their victory against Chicago Bulls in game 5. Even if the offensive scores, the main point in their tight defense is putting pressure, wasting the shot clock, and ultimately causing the offensive to take bad shots.

3. Homecourt Advantage - During the playoffs the Maimi Heat have not lost a game played at home. The finals consist of four home games for the Heat. If Heats can win both home games, then they will stay in this series even if they lose the next three games in Dallas. Game 6 and 7 are both in Miami so winning both home games are essential.

Bynum's flaring elbows

Bynum lost his cool
With his wrestling type moves
To bid Phil adieu