Amidst ‘Championship or Bust’ Claims, Kendrick Perkins Names Celtics’ X-Factor

The Boston Celtics are just one game away from booking a place in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. However, fans of a franchise with 17 titles wouldn’t be satisfied with just a Finals appearance. It is all about “championship or bust” for one of the oldest franchises in the history of the NBA. So, what is the missing ingredient for their championship aspirations?

Kendrick Perkins, who lived his championship dream with the Celtics in 2008, also believes they need to nab a title this season at all costs. On ‘Road Trippin’’, Perk claimed that Jayson Tatum and his Celts are indeed under the pump to win it all,

“Jayson Tatum is under the most pressure and Boston Celtics are under the most pressure. It’s championship or bust, there’s no other way around it.”

At the same time, he added that the Celts will need their stretch-five, Kristaps Porzingis, during the NBA Finals to acquire a match-up advantage against either the Minnesota Timberwolves or Dallas Mavericks. The versatile scorer has been sidelined for around a month due to a calf injury and can be an X-Factor in what can be the most difficult series for the Celtics throughout the postseason.

 “They need to get Kristaps Porzingis back because going up against Dallas or probably Minnesota, somebody off the bench gotta step up and play elite minutes,” Perk added.

His co-host, Richard Jefferson, agreed with the notion and alluded to the potential 10-day rest that the Celtics can acquire after closing out the Pacers. This will allow ample recovery time for the Latvian power forward.

If he returns to the scene, the decorated franchise will have a better chance of notching their 18th title. However, even if he doesn’t return, the Celts fans will be expecting them to win it all against a WC giant.

Will the pressure break or make the Celtics?

While previewing the Pacers-Celtics series on ‘The Odd Couple’ with Rob Parker, Chris Broussard also stated that the Celtics need to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy or their season would be for naught. He warned that if they fail, HC Joe Mazzulla could be on the hot seat and Jaylen Brown could be traded,

The Celtics need to win the championship. Nothing else will suffice. Getting to the Finals is not enough… If they get to the Finals and they are healthy, if they don’t win it, they need to shake something up. Trade Jaylen Brown.”

With the pressure mounting up for a championship, will the Celtics make a diamond or turn into dust? The bookmakers favored them to nab the NBA title by a hefty margin before the season began and they have repaid their trust thus far. However, they haven’t had a stifling competition in the Eastern Conference and have committed numerous blunders.

Thus, when they go up against a squad like the Mavs or Wolves, coming out of a much more turbulent West, such errors can be detrimental. Porzingis or not, they need to rid the monkey off their back and bring further glory to the land of Boston.