<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Doc Rivers generally likes it when Kendrick Perkins [stats] stands up and tosses out challenges, and the big man didn?t miss many targets this time. By all accounts, Perkins has been getting after it hard at the Celtics [team stats] facility this offseason, and, in his candid way, he believes it?s time for all to step up. ?We?ve got a whole lot of work to do,? Perkins said. ?I mean everyone. ?I think as far as an organization we?ve got to be like the Patriots [team stats] right now. The Patriots went out and rebuilt. In the offseason you?re supposed to find ways to better your team. ?We were the second-worst team in the league, so really besides Paul (Pierce), in my opinion every position is open.? Even Al Jefferson's? ?Even Al?s,? said Perkins of his closest friend on the team. ?Every position is open to me except Paul. Despite what (Rajon) Rondo did this year and what Al did this year and what Gerald (Green) did, we still didn?t win games. And that?s what we?re here for. Despite all the numbers, we still didn?t win no games. So if you had 30 points and we lose and you had 12 defensive breakdowns, what good is it? We never really had a chance to have a healthy team and just play. We could never get on a roll. But guys have to play better.? Perkins has no problem putting his work ethic where his mouth is. You can find him at Healthpoint Monday through Friday and sometimes Saturday. Even, on occasion, in the middle of the night. ?If at 3 in the morning I just happen to wake up and can?t get back to sleep, I can come here and get a workout in,? said Perkins, who?s done the night owl routine two or three times. ?I get 20 minutes on the Stairmaster and 10 on the bike and go back home. It?s only a six-minute drive . . . and it?s free.? He spends 4-5 hours a day in the gym, working on conditioning and game situations with the Celtics coaches. ?I think in the offseason it?s the time to gain ground, to get ahead of people,? Perkins said. ?Really there?s no limit to what you can do. I mean, you?ve got a gym 24 hours.? Even while adding lean muscle, Perkins has dropped from 288 pounds to 278. ?I?m trying to get down to between 260 and 265 by the start of the season,? he said. ?I?ll be there. It?s a challenge because I don?t really want to lose my size but I want to lose weight. I just want to be stronger.? Strength is also a key issue with his left foot, a problem area last season with plantar fasciitis. Perkins has been getting daily treatment and sleeping with a compression sock. ?It?s gotten a whole lot better,? he said. ?I can still feel it some mornings, but it doesn?t bother me at all when I?m working on the court. ?(Dr. Brian McKeon) wants me to do more for it even though it?s not hurting. He wants to get it to where there?s no pain at all. So I?m trying to stay on top of it. Even when there?s no pain, I still try to do my same routine so it won?t come back.? Perkins toughed it out during the season, but it was clear the foot hampered his performance. ?I wouldn?t wish it on nobody,? he said. ?It felt like I had a rock in the bottom of my foot. It really affects you jumping, running. It affects everything. You?re playing against the best competition in the world, and if you?re not 100 percent it shows. There?s no excuses if you?re out there, but I?d be lying if I said it didn?t have an affect on how I played. ?I just think if I can get into better shape and lose a few pounds, that will take a lot of pressure off my foot.? But with Celtics Nation coming to grips with the fact that Greg Oden is not walking through its door, the pressure will be on Perkins to man the middle. He?s preparing for the task most every day. And some nights.</div>http://celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/vi...amp;format=textI think Perk could have a semi-Al breakout this season. He seems like he's working very hard. It's only the middle of June, not even draft night and he's lost 10 pounds. That shows how hard he's been working. Maybe Perk can be the big man we've been craving.
Perk's work ethic is great, and has been from the start, but I'm not going to get carried away here. I think he's gonna be a nice player to have in the rotation, no doubt about that, but I don't think Perk will ever have a "semi-Al breakout season." I'm a big fan of Perk, and I do think he does have a chance to become a decent starter in this league, but as of right now he is a backup and he has a lot of work to do. I'm thrilled that he has already lost 10 lbs. though. Also, Perk... Al's spot is safe. Come on.
I love Perk. He's a great kid. A semi-Al breakout season? Hell no. But he definitely can get a lot better. His offensive game is nowhere near where it needs to be to become half the offensive player that Al is. If he can throw down a few hooks a game, bring in 10 boards, swat a few shots, and play solid defense, I'll be extremely happy with Perk.
That's why I said semi. Maybe not even that but he'll break out this year IMO. He won't just be an 8 and 5 player next year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yankshater213 @ Jun 17 2007, 01:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If he can throw down a few hooks a game, bring in 10 boards, swat a few shots, and play solid defense, I'll be extremely happy with Perk.</div> Perk is not gonna grab 10 boards a game, so don't be disappointed when he doesn't.
