The NBA Big Three of 2008 wore green and played mean at the Boston Garden, bringing a Celtics championship drought to a decisive close with a title. The Big Three were Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen — all headed to the Hall of Fame — but head coach Doc Rivers utilized the services of a young Rajon Rondo and the 7-foot Kendrick Perkins pretty well too that year, to round out the lineup.
These days Perkins is a frequently heard voice around the league as an ESPN mainstay — and a guy who’s not afraid to challenge the routine NBA narratives. He’s also a guy who calls the New York Knicks “my Knicks” — even though he’s from Texas and played for five NBA teams, none of them in New York.
But Perkins likes the team, which rivetted fans last year under the dynamic leadership of PG Jalen Brunson and which Perkins says will have the “best record in the NBA” this year, after adding Mikal Bridges in the off-season.
Kendrick Perkins on the Knicks missing Mitchell Robinson: “They’re going to finish w the best record in the NBA… I love the idea of Julius Randle playing the 5…OG being a somewhat stretch 4…If Julius embraces the role like I think he is… I love this for the Knicks—my Knicks” pic.twitter.com/FuHe5RuAKc
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 24, 2024
Even injuries are an opportunity for these Knickerbockers, as Perk sees it. Coach Tom Thibodeau lost center Isaiah Hartenstein to free agency and his other center Mitchell Robinson to injury (at least for the start of the season), but Perkins says that simply frees up Thibs to give the starting center spot to All-Star power forward Julius Randle, who Perkins predicts will thrive in the role.
“I love the idea of Julius Randle playing the 5,” Perkins says, “If he embraces this role like I think he is, being a guy that mix it up, picking and popping, a versatile defender…I love this for Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks.”