Shaq Out for Game 5

[OsirusCeltics]

Oh well

Time to play Kristic and Troy Murphy more!!

[Chris]

Personally, even with Shaq down at this point in time I'd still prefer Jeff Green over Kendrick Perkins.

I would too (at least against this team).  I understand I am in the minority about that though.

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

Eh, I wouldn't go this far.  I think Perkins has been playing very well for OKC, fits exactly what they needed from that position, and fills a major hole for them.  I just think he is what he is, and I don't think that is something that helps this team as much as other people think.  I felt this way well before the trade as well.  

[PosImpos]

Personally, even with Shaq down at this point in time I'd still prefer Jeff Green over Kendrick Perkins.

I would too (at least against this team).  I understand I am in the minority about that though.

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

At this point, I think the myth of Kendrick Perkins is much bigger (and more productive) than the man.


I also agree with Chris, though, that what Perk brings to the table is a lot more important for the Thunder right now than it would be for the Celtics.  It doesn't mean he wouldn't be valuable for us and make us a better team at the moment, but he wouldn't be enough to change the team's fortunes.

[dlpin]

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

This is something that needs to be said over and over again.

Marc Gasol put up 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during the regular season.

Against Perkins, he is putting up 18.8, 12.8 and 3.

You want to know how many centers averaged that in the playoffs in history?
Duncan, Jabbar, David Robinson, Dwight Howard, Jermaine Oneal, Moses Malone, Shaq. These are the only players who averaged at least 18.8, 12.8 and 3 for the playoffs. Perkins is making Gasol look like an all time great.
It is sad. I've said it many times before, Perk was one of my favorite players. My gate code is 043, for crying out loud. But he hasn't been anywhere near what he used to be.

[the_Bird]

I also agree with Chris, though, that what Perk brings to the table is a lot more important for the Thunder right now than it would be for the Celtics.  It doesn't mean he wouldn't be valuable for us and make us a better team at the moment, but he wouldn't be enough to change the team's fortunes.

With the other issues that the team is facing - Rondo's injury, Baby Davis' regression, KG's inconsistency - we'd probably still be struggling to beat Miami.

I'm still convinced we'd be a better team if that trade never happened, and a smaller deal to get an Anthony Parker-type was done instead. 

The interior defense would be better.  It's be harder for Wade and LeBron to get to the rim (and they'd have gotten smacked a lot harder when they tried).  Baby Davis would be getting ~10 minutes most nights, tops, instead of 20.  We wouldn't have Jeff Green, but except for Game 3 it's basically felt like we don't have Jeff Green anyway.

Perk's hurting and not the player he was, but he's still >>>>>>  Baby Davis and Troy Murphy and the bloated corpse of Shaq.

[Roy H.]

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

This is something that needs to be said over and over again.

Marc Gasol put up 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during the regular season.

Against Perkins, he is putting up 18.8, 12.8 and 3.

Even putting aside that . . .

1) a lot of that production has come against players other than Perk;
2) Gasol is playing 10 minutes more per game in the playoffs than he did in the regular season (and about 10 more minutes than Perk);
3) Gasol looked bad in Games 2 and 3; and
4) Gasol's efficiency / FG% against Perk has actually declined a bit from his regular season average;

... the argument cuts both ways.  For instance, in the first round Nene was held to below his season average in scoring, and shot 47.8% (as opposed to a league leading 61.5% in the regular season).

[StartOrien]

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

This is something that needs to be said over and over again.

Marc Gasol put up 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during the regular season.

Against Perkins, he is putting up 18.8, 12.8 and 3.

Even putting aside that a lot of that production has come against players other than Perk and that Gasol is playing 10 minutes more per game in the playoffs, the argument cuts both ways.  For instance, in the first round Nene was held to below his season average in scoring, and shot 47.8% (as opposed to a league leading 61.5% in the regular season).

It's not a great matchup for Perkins, and I don't fault him for not performing as well against this Memphis team. HOWEVER, he has become noticeably slower by the game and is no longer getting up and down the court with ease.

[CelticSooner]

Is anyone really surprised? His return kept getting pushed back until the C's went down two games.

Shaq should hang 'em up after this season.

[Eddie20]

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

This is something that needs to be said over and over again.

Marc Gasol put up 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during the regular season.

Against Perkins, he is putting up 18.8, 12.8 and 3.

Even putting aside that a lot of that production has come against players other than Perk and that Gasol is playing 10 minutes more per game in the playoffs than he did in the regular season, the argument cuts both ways.  For instance, in the first round Nene was held to below his season average in scoring, and shot 47.8% (as opposed to a league leading 61.5% in the regular season).

Nene is the type of player that Perk has always matched up well against. It's the bigger players (Brook Lopez, Gasol, Kaman, etc.) that he's had difficulty stopping.

[Chris]

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

This is something that needs to be said over and over again.

Marc Gasol put up 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during the regular season.

Against Perkins, he is putting up 18.8, 12.8 and 3.

Even putting aside that a lot of that production has come against players other than Perk and that Gasol is playing 10 minutes more per game in the playoffs than he did in the regular season, the argument cuts both ways.  For instance, in the first round Nene was held to below his season average in scoring, and shot 47.8% (as opposed to a league leading 61.5% in the regular season).

Nene is the type of player that Perk has always matched up well against. It's the bigger players (Brook Lopez, Gasol, Kaman, etc.) that he's had difficulty stopping.

I don't think its a size issue, I think it is about skill, but I agree on the players (and I would throw in his greatest nemesis, Bogut).  Perk has always had the most problems covering guys who can score inside and out, and whose games are not reliant on bulling their way to within a foot of the basket. 

[Roy H.]

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

This is something that needs to be said over and over again.

Marc Gasol put up 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during the regular season.

Against Perkins, he is putting up 18.8, 12.8 and 3.

Even putting aside that a lot of that production has come against players other than Perk and that Gasol is playing 10 minutes more per game in the playoffs than he did in the regular season, the argument cuts both ways.  For instance, in the first round Nene was held to below his season average in scoring, and shot 47.8% (as opposed to a league leading 61.5% in the regular season).

Nene is the type of player that Perk has always matched up well against. It's the bigger players (Brook Lopez, Gasol, Kaman, etc.) that he's had difficulty stopping.

The funny thing is, in the first round when Nene had a good first half of Game 1, people were saying the exact opposite argument (Perk handles big guys, but struggles against quick opponents).  If you took all the comments about the guys Perk struggles to guard at face value, you'd think he was the worst defensive center in the NBA.

[Drucci]

No Shaq means more Baby so more trouble... ugh. I feel bad for Shaq, I just hope his career won't end like that but it's probably the cold reality though.

[barefacedmonk]

The funny thing is, in the first round when Nene had a good first half of Game 1, people were saying the exact opposite argument (Perk handles big guys, but struggles against quick opponents).

Spot on.

[Chris]

I don't know how we could be in the minority, unless people just aren't watching the Thunder games. By his own admission, Perkins is operating at 65% and looks a  hint quicker than Shaq right now.

This is something that needs to be said over and over again.

Marc Gasol put up 11 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during the regular season.

Against Perkins, he is putting up 18.8, 12.8 and 3.

Even putting aside that a lot of that production has come against players other than Perk and that Gasol is playing 10 minutes more per game in the playoffs than he did in the regular season, the argument cuts both ways.  For instance, in the first round Nene was held to below his season average in scoring, and shot 47.8% (as opposed to a league leading 61.5% in the regular season).

Nene is the type of player that Perk has always matched up well against. It's the bigger players (Brook Lopez, Gasol, Kaman, etc.) that he's had difficulty stopping.

The funny thing is, in the first round when Nene had a good first half of Game 1, people were saying the exact opposite argument (Perk handles big guys, but struggles against quick opponents).  If you took all the comments about the guys Perk struggles to guard at face value, you'd think he was the worst defensive center in the NBA.

Eh, I think you are focussing on mislabeling too much.  There absolutely is a type of player that Perk struggles with (relatively speaking...he is still above average against these guys, just not dominant).  Guys like both Gasol's, Lopez, Kaman (OK, not sure about that one), Bogut, Randolph are players that can shoot over him, and can score in the post even when they are knocked off balance.

On the other hand, he may be the best in the league at defending guys like Nene, Howard, and Shaq, who really rely on their strength to succeed in the post, and can be largely neutralized, if you essentially undercut their power.