Serge Ibaka was supposed to be out for the rest of the postseason with a calf injury, and wasn’t able to go in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals as the Spurs cruised to consecutive blowout victories.
San Antonio didn’t buy the diagnosis initially, of course, and Gregg Popovich was anything but “shocked” when it appeared as though Ibaka would make a miraculous recovery in time to return for Game 3.
Oklahoma City got a great performance out of Ibaka which helped cut the Spurs lead in the series to two games to one, and despite suffering the loss, Popovich used his postgame press conference as an opportunity to crack wise about Ibaka’s initial injury designation.
A reporter asked about Manu Ginobili, and whether he’d be physically okay after heading to the locker room late in the fourth quarter.
“He’ll be fine,” Popovich said, before pausing a few seconds to reconsider. “Or, he’s out for the rest of the playoffs.”