Kendrick Perkins isn’t buying the idea that the Boston Celtics have what it takes to win a championship. He’s witnessed his old team being labeled as top contenders in the past, only to come up short when it really matters in the playoffs.
Perkins is also skeptical about Kristaps Porzingis and his impact on the team, pointing out that the 7-foot-2 center lacks meaningful playoff experience. “We’ve had this conversation so many times over the last few seasons,” Perkins commented. “We’ve seen it all before. The Celtics and Jayson Tatum are judged on what they do in the postseason, not the regular season. And Porzingis has yet to prove himself in the playoffs. I can’t confidently say the Celtics are in a league of their own.”
The Celtics have made it to four Eastern Conference Finals during Tatum’s time with the team, reaching the NBA Finals once in 2022 where they lost to the Golden State Warriors. This offseason, Boston reconfigured its roster by adding Jrue Holiday and Porzingis. On paper, they appear to be the most talented team in the NBA.
But as Perkins points out, the playoffs are a whole different beast. Regular-season success doesn’t guarantee anything in the postseason. Despite their continuity, familiarity, experience, and talent, doubts still linger about the Celtics’ ability to get back to the Finals.
If they stay injury-free, there’s no excuse for them not to make another Finals appearance. Anything less would be a major disappointment. However, given their history of falling short, it’s only fair to question whether this Celtics team has what it takes to win it all.
If they come up short again, it’s likely that head coach Brad Stevens will need to rethink his approach and consider rebuilding the team from the ground up, rather than just making adjustments.
