Updated 22:07, November the 20th, 2008
Light(er) men can jump
Slimmed-down Perk finds it easier to get after boards
Kendrick Perkins doesn’t have the imposing physical presence of Yao Ming, the draft status of Andrew Bogut and Al Horford or salary of Zach Randolph.
What Perkins lacks among those buzz factors, though, he makes up for with a quiet dominance against some of the best competition he’s seen this season. The Celtics’ big man even takes a back seat in popularity to his fellow starters, so it can be excused if he’s not considered of the league’s most respected centers.
But Perkins’ value has been vital to the Celtics’ early success. Entering last night’s matchup with the Pistons, he had been blocking a career-best and team-high 2.3 shots per game and doing a more effective job of locking down the paint next to Kevin Garnett.
When training camp began in September, though, it remained to be seen how effective Perkins would be while still rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.
At the time, he was a few weeks away from participating in contact drills in practice, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Perkins, now in his sixth season with the Celtics, had to concentrate strictly on his conditioning program, and he’s 10 pounds lighter this season as a result.
His teammates are saying the slimmer Perkins is more mobile in the paint, and that is extremely significant in assistant coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive system, which demands players to be accountable on rotating quickly on the help side of the defense.
“I’m still trying to lose a few pounds and go from there,” Perkins said. “But the lighter you are, the better you can jump.”
Perkins’ first big game of the season came against Yao and the Rockets on Nov. 4, when he punished the 7-foot-6 former No. 1 pick to the tune of 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.
Perkins’ most valuable performance, however, came Tuesday against the Knicks. Without Garnett in the lineup, Perkins scored a season-high 16 points but didn’t let his defense suffer, blocking three shots and grabbing eight rebounds.
“He’s taking the challenge night in and night out, whether it’s Yao, Bogut, he wants that,” Garnett said. “Last year, I think he was trying to find his way a little bit.
“He’s more than active. He’s a beast right now.”