There is no love lost between former teammates Kevin Durant and Kendrick Perkins.
This year’s Oklahoma City Thunder team is looking to make it better than the 2012 team that took place in the NBA Finals.
In 2012, OKC was led by young Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, and ultimately lost LeBron James’ Miami Heat final.
The team also featured veteran Kendrick Perkins, the 2008 champion against the Boston Celtics.
However, Perkins’s claims of impact on the team are different.
After his role in the Oklahoma City Thunder was criticised by Kenyon Martin in 2012, Kendrick Perkins spoke on The Road Trippin’ Podcast and began his passionate defense.
“I saw my name was raised on another show,” Perkins began.
“I don’t mind being criticized or criticized, but Kenyon seemed to “be responsible for the perks.”
“Hold one brother, responsibility. Give me a few facts when it comes to throwing the responsibility for that word.
“The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t make it to the NBA Finals until Kendrick Perkins arrived on that team.
“They couldn’t pass the Lakers, who had the Andrew Bynum and Pogersol twin towers, which is number one.
“In that final, Kendrick Perkins, the first round, had the assignment to defend Dark Nowicki, and we wiped them out.
“We’ll go and see the second round, Powgersol and Andrew Bynum, and look at those numbers and see what they did and what they didn’t do. They definitely didn’t do anything.
“Then you got to the Western Conference Finals and guessed for yourself Kendrick Perkins, who had to defend the biggest power forward of all time.
“You can find my films locked up by protecting Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Lock them.”
Clearly proud of his impact on the team’s running, Perkins admitted that the Thunder side of 2025 is superior. “This team they have now is better, they have deeper.”
Former teammate Kevin Durant has had multiple clashes with Kendrick Perkins and could not resist his response to his comments.
Durant quoted the clip of X in the mocking comment, “actual and real MVP.”
Earlier this season, Durant claimed that when Perkins said in 2012 he was the leader of the Oklahoma City Thunder team, it was “the craziest thing I’ve seen all week.”
And it’s fine for Perkins to be proud of his record at OKC. The truth could lie somewhere in the claims of “responsibility” and “lockdown defender.” Don’t expect either side to be upset from their beliefs at this point.
