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It took 69 games, but Oklahoman City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan finally employed the Gregg Popovich regular season strategy.
Facing the floundering 9-win Sixers on Friday night, Donovan rested power forward Serge Ibaka, the first time Donovan has sat one of his players strictly to give him an off-day. Veteran forward Nick Collison started in Ibaka’s place.
And the timing made sense. The Thunder plays again Saturday night in Indiana, the much tougher end of this back-to-back. Plus the playoffs are now only a month away and Ibaka, who has had an inconsistent season, looked exhausted during some recent games.
