EXCLUSIVE: Kendrick Perkins on Celtics’ title chances, Jayson Tatum’s MVP case

EXCLUSIVE: Kendrick Perkins on Celtics’ title chances, Jayson Tatum’s MVP case

Well here with my old buddy perk hey what up Chris we miss you I know man you know what I’ve been I’ve been on the other side of town on the west coast it’s been hard to kind of get in but the Celtics doing great so tell me about

That where where do you think the Celtics are I know we said the halfway point but it’s the two3 of the Season Mark are they the Championship favorites you know what they are the team that I have picked to come out of the Eastern Conference I want to see if Ping’s body

Is going to hold up that’s my only concern with the Celtics for the Long Haul but as of right now like when you talk about the depth at the wing position that could defend I don’t know any other team in the Eastern Conference could match that now there is a few

Teams in the west and I’m thinking Clippers Celtics finals right not you know a new type of La Vibe and kawhai lyard Jason Tatum going at it I’m looking at a seven game series and I would slightly give the edge to the clippers but I wouldn’t be

Surprised if the Celtics won all right all right I’m being honest you got them to the finals I can’t argue with that has porzingis exceeded your expectations in terms of what you thought he would bring to this team I mean we were talking before we jumped on here and you

Said you know there’s a chance that he should have been at the All-Star game he should have been an All-Star this year and you know what he has proven me wrong thus far because I said I said look I want to see porzingis when he get to

Boston with you know when he’s playing in games that matter right and when you’re playing for a championship it’s a different type of pressure than when you were playing for the Wizards and he’s been everything and more and I love how he’s been doing an excellent job of vers

Being versatile versatile in his offensive package he’s picking it he’s mixing it up in the pick and rolls whether he’s rolling for a live or popping for the three-point shot if he get a mismatch he’s going to that mid post area he’s posting up shooting a high fish rate and he’s protecting the

Basket and he’s playing with great joy so far I have to give him a eight plus a plus now I still want to see what he got to do in the postseason but so far he has been nothing short of amazing he leads the league and smiles like you can

Tell he’s excited to be here and be part of a like like if you go from playing for the Wizards to playing for arguably the greatest franchise in sports history a team with a a a City a state that has like so much memorability so much history wouldn’t you be happy I was

Happy to see you yeah where does Jason Tatum rank on your MVP ballot oh I’m voting for Jason Tatum if the one look if the season stopped today and this is my criteria the best player with the best record he’s doing that and by the best

Record by far by far and see people don’t realize the sacrificing that Tatum had to do right now he’s averaging what right around 27 points a game eight and a half rebounds that’s monster and he’s shooting what 55% or close to that and for as his two-point field goal

Percentage look if the Celtics finish with the number one seed overall the best record in the league which I believe they will Tatum is getting my vote oo and you got to vote right yeah I do I do and I’m very proud of it I’m saying that’s good news for Jason t uh

What have you thought of the job Joe Missoula has done you’ve been critical at moments but I want to I’m not trying to get you in too much trouble here no you’re not but you know you know the thing is I actually love Joe Missoula I

Love that he claps back at me that’s a great thing but you know I think he has done an excellent job in for as just coaching right putting these guys in position to be successful I think defensively he got you know he got them clicking on all cylinders offensively

They’re spreading the ball around is no is no one playing the gender-free basketball you can see certain nights Derek white it could be his night to go off it could be Tatum night to go off Jaylen Brown night like you could tell that the the the message in that locker

Room is about winning a championship and when you see that on the floor that’s a reflection of the coach are the Bucks going to get it together your boy doc hell no because they don’t have the Personnel right like the most important position and I still stand by this in

Today’s game is the wing position although we we see what jish did last season last postseason winning the NBA championship NBA Finals but jish don’t win the championship without Aaron Gordon you know what I mean and when you think look at teams around the league they the championship teams or teams

That are trying to make a run at a championship they’re going to get a legit athletic win we saw that with the New York Knicks going to get ogan noobi then the Pacers there I mean I’m not putting them in the contentions but they went got Pascal seak you need that

That’s the most important position in the league last thing is JB winning the dunk contest I’m pulling for him I’m pulling for they need star power but you know what I if he don’t I appreciate him for setting the tone setting the tone because we need more of this more of the

Stars to come out the all stars and participate in the dunk contest I like this out of JB yeah I’m like I said I miss those even if he just give us something just cuz I don’t really want him go crazy sure right but just the

Fact that he’s jumping off the porch is enough for himself anything you want to tell people back in Boston we miss you well I miss y’all too I love y’all Boston fans and look stop trolling me okay you know where my heart is at all

Right I love y’all it’s fun though it is fun

Chris Forsberg catches up with Kendrick Perkins ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend. Perk shares his thoughts on the Celtics’ title chances, why Jayson Tatum deserves to be the MVP and whether the Bucks can turn things around

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