The Raptors’ Serge Ibaka finds a big moment to step up against Sixers

It was as if, for a day, Serge Ibaka was reborn. He was once again a rebounding force, a shot-blocker, a mid-range shooter who could drag big men defenders far from their comfort level near the basket. He was a power forward again.

Having stumbled through most of the first three games of the Raptors second-round playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers, Ibaka, who had been backing up centre Marc Gasol, was unleashed in Sunday’s crucial Game 4 as a forward and responded with exactly the kind of game his team needed.