Following a two-game absence because of a chest contusion, Serge Ibaka will be back for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets, according to The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry. The Daily Thunder's Royce Young reports that Ibaka will start.
Injured last Friday in Oklahoma City's 116-101 win against the Los Angeles Lakers, Ibaka missed games against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns, both of which were wins for the Thunder. Nick Collison replaced Ibaka in the starting lineup, and the Thunder hardly missed a beat by dropping Portland, 87-83, and then cruising past Phoenix,102-90, behind Kevin Durant's 41 points.
Ibaka averaged 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for Scott Brooks' team, all while providing a valuable shot-blocking presence. Ibaka is also averaging 2.8 blocks per night.
The Thunder were the only remaining team to run out the same five starters in every game until Sunday's matchup against the Trail Blazers. They were also without guard Thabo Sefolosha for that game.