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Perkins is playing very bad basketball in this series. IMO, he is mentally weak and gets baited easily. He is averaging more fouls (4.0 per game) than rebounds (3.5) and the is scoring only 4 points a game.

Perkins is starting to play like he did 2-3 years ago by commenting stupid fouls for no apparent reason. He had 2 silly fouls on Gasol on 2 straight plays in game 1.

Last night, Pierce made a 3 pointer and as the ball went throw the basket, Perkins pushed Gasol in the back with both hands. Perkins has been inconsistant his entire career and is back to playing hack basketball.

We need a much better effort from Perkins on the road. He is a big part of this team and he needs to play smarter. We need him to stay out of foul trouble and play physical defense on Gasol and take Gasol out of his game.

Yeah, Perk needs to play smarter and stop picking up stupid fouls. But at least PJ Brown's stepped up big time in his absence, so hopefully PJ Brown can keep it up. I have a feeling that Perk will have some major foul trouble in the 3 games in LA, with the Lakers getting the home calls.

hmmm. . maybe hes injured??!?! NOOOOO!!

greenbeans wrote:hmmm. . maybe hes injured??!?! NOOOOO!!

No. He may be injured, but that has nothing to do with pushing guys in the back with both hands and commited obvious fouls. I thought the injury was to his ankle andf not to his head.

His nickname should be molasses

return2glory wrote:Perkins has been playing very bad basketball for his entire life

Fixed

I'm a huge fan of Perk, but he has been inconsistent. However, I like the fact that he plays with a major attitude under the rim, his biggest contribution is still his D, which is also the most consistent part of his game. Part of the reason he gets stupid fouls called is his physical play, he'll learn how to balance the two with time.

Lustreetdog were you here last series where you specifically said you liked Perkins?

Perkins was playing great in teh regular season and it looked like he got through this stage of his career... but he has regressed back to unexcusable mistakes mode.

Perkins is the strongest and toughest player we have out there, and he can cover Gasol. But once again his fouling is holding himself back.

He is a young guy though, 22 or something. Maybe he will learn like Rondo from his first playoff run. It's too bad PJ Brown isn't younger, Perk has a lot to learn and PJ is the type of player he needs to try and learn to become.

LucerneStDoggz wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Fixed

Wow harsh, but Perk is what he is...a servicable center who plays pretty good D, rebounds, and any offense is gravy.

Well, Perk isn't doing the backboard-shattering bullet "hook" shot anymore, so maybe he'll learn to break the bad habit of shoving the other team's center after his team makes a basket?

One can only hope, right?

Bad-Thoma wrote: Part of the reason he gets stupid fouls called is his physical play, he'll learn how to balance the two with time.

How much more time does he need? He is now in his 5th year in the NBA. He had been doing a lot better job this year of not getting stupid fouls. But for some reason, he has started to hack and foul for no reason.

I don't mind the hard fouls when a guy is going to the basket, but the silly fouls are hurting his game. Maybe he isn't used to players as weak as Gasol?

Do you guys expect to have 5 all stars starting at all times? Perk is what he is, if you are looking for more than an average center, then yes, he will disappoint you.

I believe any Center would have gotten agitated with how the lakers were crashing the boards and no one from the lakers needs to complain about people going over the back.

return2glory wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



How much more time does he need? He is now in his 5th year in the NBA. He had been doing a lot better job this year of not getting stupid fouls. But for some reason, he has started to hack and foul for no reason.

I don't mind the hard fouls when a guy is going to the basket, but the silly fouls are hurting his game. Maybe he isn't used to players as weak as Gasol?

well, 5th year out of high school is different than 5th year out of college. He's 23, and I'm not going to argue that he hasn't played his best basketball this series, but he has made strides each season, including his rookie season where he didn't sniff the floor but was smart enough to hit the weight room like his career depended on it. The thing I like is that he works hard enough and cares enough to get better. Look at guys like David West, who broke out this year, which I believe was his 5th year, or Jason Maxiell, who has finally started to produce in his 3rd or 4th year(?), some players take more time than others.
While Perk isn't playing his best, he is playing good D, which is job #1, which means he isn't hurting us out there. I'd rather have a big that gives a crap and will work to get better than a big with talent but no heart, like Blount (we hates him, we hates the Blount'ses we does), or Jerome James, or *sigh* Olowokandi.

Do we have to be SO reactionary around here? Just a few days ago we had threads about how he was a great bargain and was underpaid. He isn't a good as THAT Perkins but he isn't as bad as the one we have seen lately.

He brings some good things - size, an ability to bang and decent passing.. with some bad ones.. He is very slow and somewhat awkward. He can't jump. He gets a bit to physical out there sometimes..

Personally I don't think he has any "upside." He is somewhere in between good Perk and bad Perk. So forget this "breakout" stuff. Danny said when he drafted him he would be in the league at least 10 years. That's true. But lost in that is that he will never be a star or even considered a "good" player, IMHO.

Pete

GuyClinch wrote:Do we have to be SO reactionary around here? Just a few days ago we had threads about how he was a great bargain and was underpaid. He isn't a good as THAT Perkins but he isn't as bad as the one we have seen lately.

He brings some good things - size, an ability to bang and decent passing.. with some bad ones.. He is very slow and somewhat awkward. He can't jump. He gets a bit to physical out there sometimes..

Personally I don't think he has any "upside." He is somewhere in between good Perk and bad Perk. So forget this "breakout" stuff. Danny said when he drafted him he would be in the league at least 10 years. That's true. But lost in that is that he will never be a star or even considered a "good" player, IMHO.

Pete

I didn't mean to infer that Perk would break out, though I see how you could get that from my phrasing. He's never going to be an offensive player. There is no reason not to expect him to more consistently the "Good Perk" as you put it though. I'm not sure why people think he is so slow either, he's actually done a good job of keeping his man in front of him, and done a decent job of backing off of guards in switches and still contesting their shot. He's not going to win any foot races, but he moves his feet well. He's 23, he works hard, so he should improve on the fouls and with his consistency on the boards. People forget how consistent he is defensively and just as importantly blocking out. He opens up rebounds for other players.

To put Perkins age into perspective he is 2 months older than Leon Powe and PJ Brown was 24 when he entered the NBA. Most centers, especially ones that hang their hat on the defensive end do not develop into starters until they are 25 years old. Perk has started 174 NBA games and is in the NBA finals and he is only getting better and better, he has improved on almost every aspect of his game year to year.

The last thing I am going to get mad at with Perk is him being physical. That is what makes him special, we have other guys to fill the mins part of what he adds to this team is he sets a tone.

Perk played great against Detroit, and is struggling against the Lakers.

There are a lot of excuses for Perk (first finals, probably still gimpy etc..) but people won't be satisfied until he has a good game or two (hopefully only two more games being played).

I suspect that his ankle will be better in LA, and his aggression on the Lakers home court will be vital.