For some, it’s a team that sees itself more beautiful than it was. For others, she had a significant cultural impact beyond her one NBA title won. The Boston Celtics of the late 2000s and their line-up Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett-Ray Allen rarely leave indifferent.
In 2008, they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, the sworn enemy, to end 22 years of famine, which on the scale of the most successful franchise in history is an eternity. The following two years, unfortunately, the Magic (in 7 matches), then the Lakers for a revenge of death, prevented this group from building a record worthy of the talent and the strong personality of the individuals who compose it.
Little by little, the siblings disintegrated. It all started, finally, with the trade of Kendrick Perkins, the prisoner, to Oklahoma City in 2011. The “betrayal” of Ray Allen, gone to the Miami Heat after several months of tension with Rondo region was the beginning of the end. Then Paul Pierce, in tears, and Kevin Garnett, left to try the Brooklyn adventure, without knowing that they were part of the bewildering deal that would allow Boston to come back to life a few years later. Rondo, finally, requested and obtained his departure in 2014 to the Dallas Mavericks.
The adventure was short, compact and passionate, as the other would say. Kevin Garnett has frequently wondered if the Celtics could not have won three or four more rings if this group had formed a few years earlier.
We’ll never know. What we do know, however, is what has become of the members of the squad coached by Doc Rivers. We decided to hear from them.
Kendrick Perkins
It was arguably the day Kendrick Perkins traded at OKC in 2011 that a lot of people realized that Danny Ainge was willing to sell father and mother – and rightly so – to create some draft towers loot. The departure of the pivot with a face as cheerful as Droopy’s was a shock, so much he contributed defensively and was one of the locker room executives.
During this 2008 season, “Perk” started 78 of the 82 regular season games and 25 of the 26 playoff games. Doc Rivers does not ask him for anything exceptional, except harshness, and Kendrick Perkins turns at around 6 points and 6 rebounds, always there to put a sandwich when it is necessary and to intervene in front of an opponent a little too much ready to do battle with one of the stars of the team.
He married the same role in the Thunder from 2011, before gradually seeing the game evolve into a register that is not his. At only 34 years old and after an unsuccessful freelance with the Cavs where we especially remember seeing him heat Stephen Curry for free when he was not even in play, he retired.
We have to admit that we did not expect the reconversion operated by “Perk”, who was not necessarily the most talkative or the most articulate player of the group. However, after offering his services for free to convince ESPN to give him a chance, he has now established himself as one of the channel’s most popular consultants. Kendrick Perkins plays a lot on the loudmouth card and has a taste for divisive opinions, but we can’t take away this whole side that makes him successful. He officiates on the set of The Jump, Get Up and Sports Center.
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