"Darker version of Scottie Pippen"- Kendrick Perkins hilariously compares Knicks' 2-way threat to NBA legend
Kendrick Perkins made a bold comparison between the New York Knicks' OG Anunoby and an NBA legend. After securing a five-year, $212 million deal with the storied franchise, the veteran wing is ready to help the team compete for championships. Anunoby knew how to impact the game last season, helping the Knicks secure the East's second seed behind the eventual champion Boston Celtics.
On Thursday's edition of "Get Up!," Perkins named the Knickerbockers the biggest threat to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference next season. He called them a top five team and compared Anunoby to Scottie Pippen, one of the best two-way players in league history.
"Yes, they are the biggest threat in the Eastern Conference to the Boston Celtics," Perkins said. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the New York Knicks are a top five team in the NBA."
Perkins praised Jalen Brunson and the team's front office for this offseason moves, especially the re-signing of OG Anunoby and the Mikal Bridges trade.
"Now you add Mikal Bridges, one of the best two-way players in the game, and OG Anunoby," Perkins said. "I don't even know about calling him a role player anymore. He's scratching the surface and knocking at the door as an All-Star-caliber player.
"He can knock down the 3. We know what he brings defensively. At times, during the postseason, I was wondering if I was watching a younger and darker version of Scottie Pippen.
"That's what he do. He gets it done on both ends of the floor. With that type of money come expectations. And when you're talking about playing for one of the most hostile fanbases in sports, damn it, he's gonna have to show up and show out. But the Knicks are for real and I don't believe that they're done (making moves)."
Knicks were close to facing the Celtics in the conference finals last season
After the Eastern Conference got weaker last season, with multiple teams struggling to find their rhythm, the New York Knicks were thought to be the toughest matchup for the Celtics. They couldn't face the eventual NBA champions to define who would play in the NBA Finals after the Indiana Pacers upset New York at Madison Square Garden in Game 7 of their second-round series.
The Celtics are the team to beat after they dominated the competition last season. New York has made terrific moves to improve for next season. If the Knicks can stay healthy and add one or two more pieces, the New Yorkers will be a serious threat to the Celtics and the rest of the league.