“Offence win you game, defence win you championships.… Jayson Tatum right now is the best 2-way player in the NBA right now” - Kendrick Perkins believes the Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA
Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins joined “First Take” on ESPN to discuss where they believe the Boston Celtics rank in the NBA. Perkins believes the Celtics are the best team in the league, stating:
“Offence win you game, defence win you championships.… Jayson Tatum, right now, is the best 2-way player in the NBA.”
The Celtics continued to catch love from Kendrick Perkins for their dominant post-season. Perkins' most recent praise came on the heels of their series sweep against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Celtics finished the regular season second in the Eastern Conference with 51 wins to 31 losses. As a result, they matched up against the seventh-seeded Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
What was supposed to be a close battle ended rather quickly as Jayson Tatum and company swept the Nets.
Jayson Tatum averaged 29.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 3.3 made three-pointers per game. Tatum's exceptional defensive ability was also on full display.
Perkins was onto something when he highlighted Tatum's phenomenal two-way play. Tatum spent most of his season playing much the same, and he elevated it when he needed to against a talented offensive Nets squad.
The Boston Celtics are set to face either the Milwaukee Bucks or the Chicago Bulls
The Celtics are set to play the winner of the series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls. With the Bucks leading 3-1, most are betting on Boston meeting the defending champions in the next round.
The Bucks will prove to be another challenge for Boston, but if anyone has proved they can do it, it is Tatum and his Celtics. The Bucks are the defending champions and Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the midst of yet another dominant season.
However, the Boston Celtics will enter with great confidence after sweeping Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Milwaukee may also be without All-Star guard Khris Middleton, who was recently ruled out of the remainder of the first-round due to a sprained MCL.
Middleton averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game this season and will be missed as an offensive weapon and a defensive force.
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart just won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Smart averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game this season. He also averaged 1.7 steals and 0.3 blocks per game.
The Boston Celtics possess a suffocating defense. Though Milwaukee poses a different challenge, Boston’s defense has yet to falter. Tatum and company are looking as aggressive as ever.