Kendrick Perkins on the importance of Kristaps Porzingis
Kendrick Perkins of ESPN joined Felger and Mazz on Thursday to preview the upcoming NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics. While on, Perkins discussed the importance of the Kristaps Porzingis for the Celtics in the Finals.
Perk on Porzingis…
Felger: What’s your biggest concern?
Kendrick Perkins: Well, I mean, my biggest concern is I want to see how Kristaps Porzingis looks, because I do feel like if he’s not back on the floor, I don’t expect him to look 100%, if he does that would be shocking to me, but if he’s 75% and he’s back on the floor and he looks as if he has his rhythm then I got the confidence. I’ll be I’ll be way more confident than what I am because I feel like whether they play the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s looking like the Mavs, but I feel like Kristaps Porzingis definitely has to be on the floor in order for them to win it all, I really do. I think he’s the most important player to that team for what he brings on both ends of the floor.
Felger: Really? So you don’t think they could beat Dallas or Minnesota without Kristaps Porzingis?
Kendrick Perkins: No, I don’t. I think you need him. I mean, he’s 7’2”. He stretches the floor. When it comes down to rim protection, I think this has been one of his best years, and not only just blocking shots but altering shots, and you need that when you’re facing a team like the Dallas Mavericks or especially the Minnesota Timberwolves. You need that guy. Not saying that Al Horford can’t get it done, but still, at the end of the day, you need a guy with the size and athleticism, especially when you’re going against guys like Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, or an athletic Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford. You’ve got to have some type of presence at the basket when you have guys that would love to attack the rim as well.
