Kendrick Perkins sees Celtics getting swept by Knicks in a 'rocking' MSG atmosphere
After entering the postseason with aspirations of repeating as champions, the Boston Celtics' backs are against the wall. Coming off another devastating loss, one former player sees them being sent home in the very near future.
For the second straight game, Boston gave up a 20-point lead and allowed the New York Knicks to steal a victory. They now face an extremely tough challenge of having to go on the road down 2-0 in the series.
On Thursday morning, Kendrick Perkins went on ESPN's Get Up to give his thoughts on his former team. Now having to go play in front of an energetic Madison Square Garden crowd, he believes the reigning champs are on the verge of getting swept.
"Do you realize how rocking the Madison Square Garden is gonna be," Perkins said. "The Celtics are done. They're not coming back in this series. I have all the trust and faith in the New York Knicks."
"The Celtics would be lucky to get one game."
Following their lackluster play to start the series, Boston has to do something to try and get back on track. If not, it could mean the end of their run in 2025. Thankfully for them, they have an extended break to regroup before taking the floor in Game 3. These squads are set to do battle in MSG on Saturday in an afternoon showdown.
Kendrick Perkins sounds off on Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
Later in the morning, Kendrick Perkins was back on ESPN TV talking about the Boston Celtics on First Take. In his second rant, he zeroed in on the team's star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Looking ahead to the rest of this series, he feels it is a major legacy moment for both All-Stars.
"You were up 20 points twice at the crib and blew it," Perkins said. "Yes, this is a legacy-defining moment for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum."
If the Celtics want any chance of getting back in this series, it will be on the backs of their top stars. Heading into what is sure to be a rowdy Knicks crowd, Tatum and Brown have to deliver if Boston is going to stay alive.
Of these two stars, Tatum is the one who is most in need of a bounce-back performance in Game 3. On Wednesday night, he notched just 13 points on 5-for-19 shooting from the field. As the driving force of Boston's offense, he needs to get himself going if they want any chance at winning.
As Perkins stated, how this duo responds could certainly impact how they're viewed among this generation and the franchise's all-time greats.
