Don't forget Perk!
Prepare to be Perk'd |
The most surprising thing of all might be Shaq's rebirth. I for one was expecting Shaq to be a 10-15 minute player, grab a few rebounds, and basically be put in to help us against the Magic and Lakers. It turns out he's playing the best basketball since his 2006 title run with the Heat. This is why I think some people may have forgotten a little about the beast that is Kendrick Perkins.
Kendrick Perkins embodies what it means to be a Celtic. He's hard working, tough, and doesn't back down from anyone. The only time I've ever seen him smile was in a wedding photo that I'm convinced was photoshopped. He's the best defensive center in the league and his injury last year was arguably the reason we lost Game 7. We need him to be productive when he comes back in February.
The question is, do we keep Shaq in the starting lineup if he continues to play at his current level? Or do we put Perk back in as a starter right away. I assume Doc will start Perkins and he should. Not only is Perk the better all around player at this point in his career, but I think it would better serve Shaq to come off the bench and rest those old bones. Think about this for a second. Say Perk gets a couple early fouls. Instead of having to move KG or Davis to center we bring in questionably the greatest center of all time. Then we have the option to bring in former 5 time all star Jermaine O'Neal(assuming he is healthy). Our interior depth is incredible. Who is going to rebound against us?
Also, all of the articles I've read have talked about how hard Perk was working to get back as soon as possible. How he was using Wes Welker(one of the greatest human beings of all time) as motivation. This is the type of player the NBA should highlight. Not prima donnas like Lebron and Kobe.
The fact that we are playing like this without our top interior defender in Perk should make Celtics fans jump for joy. This is just the tip of the iceberg. As the season goes on I expect the Celtics to continue to improve and by May they should be at the top of their game.