I am one of the biggest Perk fans around. I have been a big Perk fan since his rookie year when I would tell anyone who would listen that Perk would one day be a top defensive center and more often than not, they would tell me that I was crazy.
Perk is very important to this team. If you doubt his importance, look back at the 08 finals. Games 1-4 and 6, Gasol and Odom were almost non existent in the paint. Game 5, they were dominant in the paint. The difference? Perk's presence and his defense.
So much of what Perk does will never been seen or will never show up in the box score. Everyone saw Ray's 3 point dagger down the stretch, but not everyone saw that the reason he was so open to take that 3 pointer was because Perk had just set a monster screen on Wade to get him open. Perk may not score the points, but he sets a great screen to get his teammates open to score. He may not grab the rebound, but he will box out so that his teammate has a clear path to it.
Perk has been THE most consistent Celtic so far this season. He brings it every night and he brings it to practice as well. You know you will get 100% from him every night. And he does it all without complaining about touches or minutes or who is on the floor at the end, etc. He does the dirty work without worrying about who gets credit. Perk is the perfect role player and he plays his role perfectly!
As for his contract extension, I really hope that Danny is fair with him. He is making less than the MLE right now and is the biggest bargain among big men other than those on rookie contracts. He deserves decent money and I really hope he gets it from the Celtics cause I want Perk to be a lifetime Celtic.
I love Perk.....
GREAT post, Fl, and I agree, (TP) ... very much like Pierce, much of what he does goes without recognition, and he's been so solid. Honestly, I was not happy with him a couple of years ago ... he just didn't seem to be making much progress, and his penchant for showing the ball to the defense was driving me crazy.
But much like playing an instrument is for me, most progress goes unnoticed, and it seems like you're learning in spurts, when it's really that diligence and daily grind that is slowly refining your skills. It seems like Perk has made these huge jumps in his game, when really he's just been at the grindstone all this time, and we're seeing it pay off in a big way.
I've become a huge Perk fan this year, and I have confidence that he'll get the money he deserves, (while I hope it's not overdone, for cap sake).
