The playoffs always bring out a different side in people. Be it the players, the fans, or the analysts, everyone channels a different energy in the last phase of the season. For Kendrick Perkins, the energy he’s going with is backtracking. The former NBA star turned analyst recently ate his own words after witnessing a poor performance by the Clippers in Game 5. Before the 93-123 humiliation, Perkins was all praise for the Clippers and even suggested they possibly win the trophy this year.
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About a month ago, on NBA Today, he listed out five title contenders for the season according to him. The first name that he announced with a bang was the LAC. Perkins said, “Look, I know they’ve been struggling of late but they’re going to get it together. You know why? Because Ty Lue is leading the charge, one of the best coaches in the game today.” Perkins also said that he has faith in Kawhi Leonard and his health, Paul George, James Harden, and their ability to elevate this team.
But that was Perkins then, what is he saying now? It seems like the Clippers being run off the floor by the Mavericks in Game 5 has made the NBA veteran reassess his stance on the team. Now he believes that the Clippers need to be broken up as the current ensemble is doing a disservice to someone as great as Lue. He said on First Take, “Lawrence Frank has done a disservice to Ty Lue, along with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.” Perkins is disappointed in them because these players didn’t show up for their coach when it mattered the most.
Another issue that Perkins has with the Clippers is that they failed to take the home-court advantage. They have played three games at home in the series so far, and they have lost two of them. As per the former NBA star, the Clippers have blown out their chances of closing the series by being lazy and unfocused on the court. Even though Perkins didn’t blame a single player, another NBA veteran believes that James Harden could’ve put the Clippers in a much better position.
Gilbert Arenas wants James Harden to step up his game
The Clippers are one of the best teams in the league, on paper. The team is stacked with some of the biggest names who have played the game in the last couple of decades and still, they’re struggling against the duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Now with 3-2 down, if they don’t wish to join their league friends in Cancun, the Clippers will have to listen to the advice coming from Gilbert Arenas.
The NBA veteran said on Gil’s Arena podcast, “James Harden has to really…This is on him in a sense where…you don’t have the luxury not to take 20 shots.” In the last game, Harden went 2-12 from the field, 1-7 from the three-point line, and 2-2 from the charity stripe. Arenas said that even if Harden is not shooting more on purpose to make chances for his teammates, he’ll have to let go of that strategy because it’s not going to work in that team combination.
