Perk - One of the Hardest Workers in the NBA

Perk has always been one of the hardest workers in the league. That's one of the things that I loved about him from his rookie year on and has made me one of his biggest fans. He works hard and he plays hurt. Not many players would keep playing through 3 playoff series with a torn groin muscle. But Perk did! In the offseason after Perk was traded, he worked harder than ever to get back into shape after the year of rehabbing to come back from the ACL injury. I remember hearing stories about him being in the gym 3 and 4 times a day for hours at a time working out. I really miss Perk!

Celtics Links for Today 7/31

Herald  Clippers acquire guard Willie Green
Police: Lakers forward arrested on traffic warrant
Nate Robinson agrees to deal with Bulls
Celtics Green  No News is Good News
A Retrospective: Jason Terry
Celtics Life  Olympics/Champions Day 3
Video: Everyone Loves Rajon

Perk - Center of Attention

Here's a really good short documentary on Perk from when he was still with the Celtics. Perk's a beast on the court but a gentle giant off the court. When you see Perk and KG interact, you can see what a bond they had on the court and it's no wonder that the Celtics literally fell apart when Danny traded Perk. Great video - you can even see Perk smiling.

Celtics Links for Today 7/30

Herald  Kevin Durant, LeBron James dazzle as U.S. men open rout of France
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Celtics Green   Most Unusual Celtics Records
Heads Up: Old School Celtics on NBA-TV
Celtics Well Represented at the Olympics
Celtics Life  Video - Stuff Celtics fans say
Book Review: Dream Team by Jack McCallum

Kendrick Perkins Photo of the Day

This photo with the caption was on Basketball Jones and they were commenting that they had never seen Perk smile before.    It's funny though, because off the court, Perk smiles a lot, especially when he's with little Perk.  On the court, however, he's all business and you'll rarely, if ever, see a smile there... even if they are winning big.  And, that's exactly how you want your enforcer to be. 

Celtics Links for Today 7/29

Herald  US men beat France 98-71 in Olympic basketball
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Kevin Durant has sights set on Olympic gold
US team expects tough challenge in chase for gold
US basketball has fashionably late Olympic arrival
CelticsGreen  RIP Reggie Lewis 7/27/1993
Recommended Summer Reading
The Pursuit with Brandon Bass

Perk, the Championship Center

I've posted a couple of my early articles on Perk.  Here is one from September 12, 2008 with Perk fresh off helping the Celtics win their 17th Championship.  I remember a few arguments I had with other Celtics fans in his first and second years as I was certain that Perk was a championship level center and others would argue that he was just a back up on a good team.  Perk is a champion and proved me right.  And if the Celtics had Perk in game 7 in the 2010 Finals, he would be a 2 time champion.   His worth to the team was never more obvious than when he missed a game.   Perk is definitely a beast! 

It is no secret that I really love this kid. His attitude and work ethic won me over right from his first year as a Celtic. And I am an even bigger fan of his now than when he first joined the team. The tough times he has been through in his life have made him tougher and more determined to succeed. Kendrick Perkins was born on November 10, 1984 in Nederland, Texas. His mother was killed in a shooting incident at the beauty salon where she worked when Perk was only 5 years old. His dad, former Lamar University star Kenneth Perkins, left the family when Perkins was 18 months old and played professional basketball in New Zealand. Perk never got to know his dad until recently. His grandparents raised him and were there to give advice, direction and comfort. But his grandparents didn't know much about basketball except that Kendrick seemed to have an aptitude for the game. Just before last season, Perk became a dad himself to Kendrick Perkins II and is determined to be the kind of father to his son that his dad never was to him.

Celtics Links for Today 7/27

Herald   Jason Terry, Celtics get their schedule
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Handicapping U.S. men’s basketball team’s chance to win Olympic gold
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14 of first 22 at home for champion Heat next season
Pressure still on Coach K and U.S. men’s basketball team
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Celts open in Miami on Oct. 30, visit Brooklyn for Christmas
Globe   Celtics release 2012-2013 schedule
Celtics release 2012-13 schedule; open at Miami

Kevin Garnett Comedy Hour

If KG had retired this season, we would have missed his play, for sure. But, more than that, we would have missed his interviews. The guy is funny. Green Street put together a mix of KG's best interview moments.


And no KG comedy hour would be complete without the Craig Sager interview where KG tells Sager to burn his suit.

Celtics Links for Today 7/26

Herald   Stiemsma: Celtics gave me a great NBA start
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Lakers’ Antawn Jamison has excitement in reserve
Timberwolves agree to terms with Kirilenko, send Johnson to Suns
Clippers sign center Ronny Turiaf
Cavaliers acquire Jeremy Pargo from Grizzlies
Dwight Howard reiterates his desire to be traded
Mickael Pietrus on outside looking in
Greg Stiemsma content with decision to leave
Globe   Jeff Green deal not officially done but agent calls it 'imminent'

Kendrick Perkins - The Enforcer

Below is an article I wrote on Celtics Green in August of 2006.  When I say that I've loved Perk from the beginning, I'm not kidding.   I just finished writing an article about the importance of defense to winning a championship.  And every team needs a lock down wing defender and a strong post defender.   The presence of Perk in the paint was crucial to the Celtics winning a championship in 2008.  And if he had been healthy they would have won again in 2010.  His absence in game 7 was glaring.   Here's a look back at my thoughts about Perk in the early years. 


Kendrick Perkins - The Enforcer Friday, August 11, 2006 by FLCeltsFan   7:49 AM August 11, 2006It is no secret that I really love this kid. He, like Powe has gone through some tough times and has come out much tougher because of it.
His mother died when Perk was only 5 years old. His dad was rarely around which still hurts him. His grandparents raised him and were there to give advice, direction and comfort. But his grandparents didn't know much about basketball except that Kendrick seemed to have an aptitude for the game.
His high school coach at Ozen High School, Andre Bouette, became his mentor as far as making basketball decisions and became the father figure he didn't have in his life. At first, Kendrick wanted to play football but Bouette wisely pointed him toward basketball instead.
He chose to forego college and enter the NBA draft right out of high school after leading his team to a 96 and 3 record over his final 3 years in high school. Senior (2002-03): He averaged 27.5 points, 16.4 rebounds and 7.8 blocked shots in his senior year and he helped Ozen to a 33-1 record. He was named All State in all three seasons. He was the 27th pick in the 2003 draft, chosen by the Memphis Grizzlies and subsequently traded to the Celtics.

Celtics Links for Today 7/25

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Bulls allow Omer Asik to join Rockets
Knicks sign Argentina point guard Pablo Prigioni
Chalmers; NBA exhibition game canceled
Brooklyn Nets sign F Tornike Shengelia
Kirk Hinrich says ‘stars aligned’ for return to Bulls
Globe   Keyon Dooling agrees to one-year deal

Low Fat Milk Has It's Perks

I just love this commercial with Perk for 1% milk.  If you watch really close you'll even catch a smile.

Celtics Links for Today 7/24

Herald  Can’t ask for more from Celtics
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Bulls won’t match Omer Asik’s offer sheet
Globe  Celtics, Heat set for Opening Night matchup
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Celtics to Open 2012-13 Season at Heat

Perk is a Warrior

 We all know that Perk is a Beast but what we learned in these past playoffs is that Perk is a warrior.   As the OKC Thunder went to the Finals and fell just short of a title, Perk seemed to struggle at times and some fans were ready to write him off.  But after the playoffs we found out that Perk had a very good reason for his struggles.

First, we learned that Perk had played the final 3 series of the playoffs with a partially torn muscle in his groin.  I mean, most guys get a strained muscle and they are helpless and unable to play.  But Perk played with a partially torn muscle and never complained.  He never made an issue of it.  At times we saw a slight limp or a grimace when he came down from a dunk or a rebound, but that was it.   We didn't know the extent of that injury until after the playoffs when it was announced that he had surgery for a partially torn groin muscle.

But that wasn't it.  He also had surgery for a ligament tear in his left wrist that he suffered in the Western Conference Finals.  He played part of the WCF and all of the Finals with a ligament tear in his wrist.  Again, we never heard a complaint or one mention of it from him as an excuse for his struggles. Most players get a bruise and they sit, but not Perk.    He played hurt and when you consider the injuries that he had, he played quite well.

I don't know about you, but a guy that tough and that much of a team player is one that I want on my team every time.  And he is expected to be ready for training camp, in spite of 2 surgeries to repair a torn ligament and a torn muscle.   Just as Perk has always done,  he will work his tail off to be ready for the season and not just be ready, but be in great shape to help his team to the best of his ability.  I love Perk.  I always have and always will.    this proves without a doubt that he is a warrior - and every team needs one of those.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

I wrote the following post, entitled A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words,  on Celtics Green on September 8, 2006.  It was Perk's work ethic that won me over and  I have no doubt that Perk continues to work just as hard today.  He came back from the ACL/MCL tears in record time.  He had gained some weight when he couldn't work out as hard while rehabbing and worked even harder over last off season to lose it.  

Shown here are two pictures, taken over two years apart, one from a December 13, 2003 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves (top), and the second from a November 25, 2005 game against the Charlotte Bobcats (bottom). He is striking almost identical poses in the photographs with his hands on his hips and his elbows flared as he prepares to take a free throw.

These pictures show the big difference in Perk as he worked very hard to remake his body from a pudgy high schooler to NBA ready. And keep in mind that he had already started working out and had come aways already before the first picture was taken.

"I remember in my first training camp, I almost died," said Perkins, laughing. "It's a matter of going into the off-season and doing the work. Not only do you want to lose weight, but you also got to make sure that you keep your strength. So you've got to lift at the same time. You've really got to step your game up because this ain't high school no more, so you've got to elevate your game."

As far as a "welcome to the NBA" moment, Perkins recalls a game against the Detroit Pistons where he only played 12 minutes but had absolutely no energy left when he was finished. But perhaps more of an inspiration was spending most of his rookie year on the bench, and playing just 35 minutes the entire season. While some players would have been discouraged by the lack of playing time, Perkins says he's grateful that the team gave him a chance to develop at his own pace.

"I just try to keep improving and not let them down, because the Celtics drafted me. I feel like I owe them something," said Perkins.

So Perkins continued to work on his body and his conditioning, and over the course of the last three years he's lost 53 pounds of body fat and transformed his bulky frame into a constantly evolving NBA body.

Celtics Links for Today 7/23

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Getting to Know Kendrick Perkins (Repost)

With the dog days of the off season quickly approaching, I thought I'd go back and repost here some of the articles I wrote throughout Perk's tenure with the Celtics.  I loved this kid right from the start and have defended him against detractors through the years.   With Perk, his stats never show his importance to a team and those who go by stats rarely appreciate his contributions.  But solid screens and box outs and defense are just as important to a team's success as the stats in the box score.   You realize how much Perk did when he's not doing it any longer.   Anyway,  here is an article from 2007, Getting to Know Kendrick Perkins.






It is no secret that I really love this kid. Anyone who has been around the Celtics boards knows that he is my favorite player and I expect big things from him. He, like Powe has gone through some tough times and has come out much tougher because of it.
Kendrick Perkins was born on November 10, 1984 in Nederland, Texas. His mother died when Perk was only 5 years old. His dad was rarely around which still hurts him. His grandparents raised him and were there to give advice, direction and comfort. But his grandparents didn't know much about basketball except that Kendrick seemed to have an aptitude for the game.