Jayson Tatum broke an incredible streak on Wednesday when he missed his first NBA playoff game of his career. The six-time All-Star was out for the Celtics’ Game 2 against the Magic with a bone bruise in his wrist after playing in 114 straight postseason matchups in his career. His team still managed to get the W to go up 2-0 in the series, a big missed opportunity for the Magic to capitalize on his absence.
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What’s worse for Orlando is that Tatum was cleared for Game 3 and currently has 27 points in a very tight showdown. The magic (no pun intended) run for the No. 7 seed is starting to slip away, and if they go down 3-0, it’ll be curtains. Fortunately, they do have one person giving them advice. Unfortunately, that man is Kendrick Perkins.
Perk is known for his unusual takes, some of which are just to garner attention for himself or his ESPN program. But what he suggested the Magic do isn’t just strange — it’s downright barbaric. What’s even funnier is that the controversial analyst made a suggestion that would probably anger any team, but it hits even harder since he has worn the Celtic green himself.
“If I’m the Orlando Magic, I’m swiping at Jayson Tatum’s wrist every chance I get,” stated the 40-year-old. You read that right. Perk wants the Magic players to further injure Tatum in an attempt to get him off the court, even though they already proved in Game 2 that they can’t hang with Boston’s firepower on the court.
“If I’m the Orlando Magic, I’m swiping at Jayson Tatum’s wrist every chance I get”
– Kendrick Perkins pic.twitter.com/ckfW4cVBKX
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 25, 2025
Not only that, but Tatum is openly mocking Orlando for hurting his wrist in the first place. One moment in Game 3 saw Tatum drain a tre, then grab at his wrist in an odd celebration. Perk may give the Magic hell for not listening to his advice. Then again, they’ll probably sleep a lot better knowing they didn’t resort to dirty plays.
That said, Perk isn’t the only one who would have come up with that suggestion. History has shown that when a player, particularly a team’s top guy, sustains an injury, an opposing team may attempt to exploit it for their benefit. These are dirty tactics, but ones that desperate teams will take in order to secure a dub.
Orlando doesn’t seem that desperate. They are most likely going home after this series, but there is a foundation of a really good team that the organization can build around. Listening to Perk and trying to re-injure Tatum is only going to stain what they’ve been able to accomplish this season. Kendrick may have a ring, but it was the Celtics who carried him to it. Shame on you, Perk.
