Why does Perk only play 25MPG? Is it medical?

[nickagneta]

In my opinion, it's a combination of him getting winded, foul trouble, and the circumstances of the game.

This is pretty much my feeling as well.  He exerts so much energy on defense (as well as on the offensive boards), that he does get tired relatively quickly.  I think Doc's thinking is generally that he would rather have him playing 25 minutes going 100 mph, than 35 minutes going 90 mph.

I don't know if I agree with it, but I do think Doc has a better feel for the players physical limits than I do.

I really hope that he will be playing big minutes as the series go on though.  He is just so important to their defense.

Even if that is the case, it is uneven.


He will play most the 1st, almost none of the 2nd.

Most the third, almost none of the 4th.


If it was about him getting winded, he wouldn't play most of any quarter.

Great point by wd.

If Perk had stamina problems I would personally be playing him the opening 6-7 minutes of each half and then the closing 6-7 minutes of each half. He'd still get his 25 minutes or so and be more rested, at least I think that makes more sense than playing 12, sitting 12.

I'm also not a huge fan of having both KG and Perk out of the game at the same time. I think the Celtics need at least one of there inside presences in the game at all times. When they are not in the game the defensive rebounding just is not even close to being the same. Powe is a wonderful offensive rebounder but just average on the defensive end. And P J Brown has shown me nothing since arriving other than his defense on Sunday.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I want to see how it goes against a team like Cleveland.  I'm not too worried about his minutes in the Atlanta series, mainly because in those away games in Atlanta, Perk seemed to be having trouble containing the speedy and athletic big men from Atlanta. In some games, Perk was completely out hustled (game 3 in particular). The only game I would've taken issue with his playing time was in game 4, and it's not because I think he was particularly great, but because I thought Powe was so weak in that game... he had no business playing that amount of minutes. And the minutes have been deceptive, since we've blown Atlanta away in all our home games, and Doc usually runs with the combination of Powe and Davis through most if not all the 4th.

I have a feeling he'll get more playing time against a team like Cleveland, give he hustles and does his job.

[jaketwice]

I thought it could be his relatively poor FT%: 62%; Powe is a better 71%, but PJ Brown is only at 68%. Is 9% such a big difference? I'm not sure.

A case of Doc protecting his confidence at the line perhaps...

But his FT% is not so heinous as to make it necessary to pull him out of games, is it?

He's shooting [dang] well in the playoffs anyway.

                                               

[jay_jay54]

I don't know why he isn't playing as much as he should be, but I have been complaining about it as well.  He is going to be extremely important this upcoming series.  I do not think Powe is going to be effective this series covering Big Z.  He's just too big and Powe isn't strong enough to stick with him.  We're going to need a lot of Perk's defense and rebounding this series or else we're going to get killed on the glass.  I still don't think Powe is a good defensive rebounder, he gets a lot of offensive boards, because people usually fade off him when they need to double KG, Pierce, Ray Allen, whomever it may be and it allows him to get position fairly easy, but we NEED Perk in there this series to keep Z, Wallace and Varejao off the glass.

I agree with you here,Perkins is crucial in this series aganist the Cavs,to deal with Big Z,as you said.Im looking more at there 3pt shooting lately,may becoming a problem.You earned a tp from me.

[MBz]

I am worried about there three point shooting as well, but I think that if you can stop the inside game to prevent people from closing in on the ball when it goes inside, then it'll make it easier for our perimeter players to stick with the shooters.

[green tea]

For the Cav's, I'm not sure I want Perk playing too much more than 25 minutes/game.  He simply doesn't match up very well against Zydrunas.

Glen has done very well against Zydrunas...and I expect him to play some pretty important minutes this next series. 

[Hondo]

This has to be a young player thing with Doc.  He does the same thing with Rondo whenever possible and there is no justification for that because we don't have anyone even half as good to replace him with.  You can look for whatever physical or match-up issues you want but this is strictly a mindset of the head coach.  I don't know in the long term whether this is right or wrong but that is the way it is.   

[tanner]

Beats me.  Somebody should ask Doc about it.  Maybe he's missed x number of defensive assignments, just like powe, and got yanked.  Maybe Perk is effective only in alternate quarters.  Who knows?  Doc only knows.

[ScalPal]

He plays limited Minutes because Doc is a horrid coach. He was dominating that first quarter and he left him on the bench the entire 2nd Q until the 2:30 mark.

In fact Doc left the starters on the bench way too long in the 2nd he is soooo bad at managing the bench its unreal its like he wants to make sure Cassell and PJ dont whine for lack of minutes.

[kenmaine]

Mystifying to me too. From what I'm reading here, no one knows, and it's no use asking Doc- he'll just answer in coachspeak gibberish.
But seriously, Perk is so improved since he got here. Gotta love the guy- he works so hard at it. He survived the first few seasons of the refs picking on him and is finally getting some respect there. And he actually looks pretty good with the ball down low now, not an automatic turnover. And no, I'm not getting carried away, I know he has limited skills.
And I agree with a previous poster- Z is such a monster that we'll need Perk's size against Cleveland. And probably Big Baby, but who the heck knows what Doc will do?

[BudweiserCeltic]

Looks like my thoughts on the matter are becoming true for the time being, Perk played 35 minutes today.  Let's see how it keeps going throughout the series.