Introductory news conference for new Suns GM Brian Gregory
The Phoenix Suns hold an introductory press conference for their new general manager, Brian Gregory.
Phoenix Suns star forward Kevin Durant clowned 14-year NBA veteran Kendrick Perkins on X (formerly Twitter) again on May 22.
This has been happening since 2020, when Durant called out Perkins for averaging 2.4 points per game and few rebounds per game in the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs when they played together with the Oklahoma City Thunder. It even has continued recently with Durant calling out Perkins when he said he was the real leader in Oklahoma City when they played together.
Now, Durant is mocking Perkins’ recent comments on Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye’s “Road Trippin’ Show,” where Perkins says he shut down All-NBA players Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili during the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals in 2012. Both Durant and Perkins were on the team then, and Durant sarcastically responded to this take that Perkins was “The actual real mvp”:
Perkins made these comments because ex-NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin said that “Kendrick Perkins is a liability out there” on Gilbert Arenas’ “Gil’s Arena” show, when discussing whether the 2012 Thunder team would beat the 2025 Thunder team in a hypothetical matchup.
“Let me give you some facts when it comes to throwing out that word of ‘liability,'” Perkins began. “The Oklahoma City Thunder never went to the NBA Finals until Kendrick Perkins arrived on that team. Because they couldn’t get past the Lakers, who had the twin towers in Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. …
“In that Finals run, Kendrick Perkins in the first round had the assignment of guarding Dirk Nowitzki, which we swept them. One-on-one, Dirk Nowitzki, go pull up the tape, had him frustrated, everything.”
Nowitzki averaged 26.8 points per game on 44.2% shooting in the series.
“Second round; Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum,” Perkins continued. “Go look at those numbers. Go look at what they did, and what they didn’t. They did absolutely nothing.”
Perkins did not mention Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka’s team-leading four blocks per game in the series being a key contributor to shutting down Gasol and Bynum.
“Then, you want to get to the Western Conference Final,” Perkins resumed. “Guess who had to guard the greatest power forward of all-time (Duncan) by himself? Kendrick Perkins. Guess what adjustments we made during that time when we were down 0-2? We switched everything, and you can go find the film of me guarding and locking up Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Locking them up. Go watch Game 3.”
Parker made six-of-12 field goal attempts (two-of-four from three-point distance) in Game 3 and scored 16 points. Perkins did not mention any of Thunder shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha’s six steals or his block, any of Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook’s four steals or two blocks and any of Ibaka’s two steals and three blocks.
Perkins did not mention any teammates’ performances in the series despite Ibaka averaging 2.7 blocks per game, Durant averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.7 steals per game, Sefolosha averaging 2.3 steals per game and Westbrook averaging 1.5 steals per game.
“Get to the NBA Finals,” Perkins continued. “Go pull it up again. A few double-doubles in there. So my thing is: If you’re going to say something, at least have the facts.”
Perkins had just one double-double in the series. Averaging 4.8 points per game, 6.8 rebounds and 0.6 blocks on 42.9% shooting, the Thunder lost the series in five games.
Durant — who averaged 30.6 points, 1.4 steals and a block per game on 54.8/39.4/83.9 shooting splits in the series — saw different facts at play.