Celtics in Trouble if Perkins Is Suspended

UPDATE: The league will not suspend Kendrick Perkins.

Kendrick Perkins received a flagrant-one foul for this elbow that landed to the throat area of Orlando's Mickael Pietrus, during the fourth quarter of the Magic's Game 3 win on Friday.

Despite the fact that the league has generally been wildly inconsistent in terms of what does and does not deserve an ejection or suspension in this post-season, this play seems to be the kind that will result in Perkins being suspended for Game 4. And if that's the case, the Celtics are going to be in some serious trouble.

Now, I'm definitely of the opinion that there have been far too many flagrant fouls, ejections and suspensions in these playoffs. But based on the precedent the league has set, it's extremely unlikely that Perkins doesn't get suspended. He looks over at Pietrus, lines him up and elbows him in the throat.

When Stu Jackson, the NBA's VP in charge of suspensions (or something) was discussing why Kobe Bryant's elbow to Ron Artest under the basket in Game 2 didn't get him suspended, he suggested that it might have, had it landed a little bit higher. Well, Perkins' elbow landed higher than Bryant's did, so it's doubtful he'll be available for Game 4 on Sunday.

This is going to make things very tough on the already undermanned Celtics, especially considering that, with Perkins in the lineup for Game 3, Boston still managed to get out-rebounded 36-29. The team will be forced to start either Mikki Moore or Brian Scalabrine in his place -- not exactly dominant forces inside.

Unless Ray Allen can start to get hot (he's shooting just 12-for-40 from the field and 3-for-19 from behind the arc in the series), and unless the team can get heroic performances from Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce, the Celtics are going to find themselves down three games to one, and on the brink of seeing their title defense come to an end. Which wouldn't be a huge surprise, but it would come at least one round earlier than a lot of people expected.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-09-2009 @ 2:18PM

djccreator said...

if you suspend him you needed to suspend kobe

5-09-2009 @ 2:27PM

omarr6 said...

You are an idiot jdccreator. Totally two different kind of fouls. If anything your Celtics should not even have been in this round. Rondo should have been suspended at least once for his physical play. Just shows how the league protects the Celtics

5-09-2009 @ 3:17PM

D_Average said...

Thats true Omar. The only reason the celtics are still here is Rondo's foul on Miller was not called a flagrant. Had it been, they would have lost game 5. That foul on Miller was far more blatant than many of the flagrants we've seen called in this postseason.

In short, David Stern doesn't know what the hell he's doing and he needs to hire the head of the NFL officiating crew to clean up this mess. Officiating an NFL game over 100 yards, and 22 men is far tougher than calling fouls on a basketball court. Theres no excuse for such inconsistency, its really quite pathetic.

5-09-2009 @ 3:04PM

Michigan Man said...

I am a Celtics fan but can also think logically, not just emotionally concerning officiating. I agree that Perkins committed a flagrant foul with the intent to injure and probably should be suspended. That said, I DO NOT believe the officials protect the Celtics. The calls or non-calls are dependent upon what the particular official feels at the moment the incident occurs. I see players from other teams fouling Celtic players, but don't demand a foul call or admonish or accuse the officials of cheating. In some games, officials call the slightest touch as a foul, and in others, they see hard fouls and don't call them. My question is-what do the officials have to gain by protecting the Celtics? Considering they probably won't make it past Orlando. Sour grapes, eh?

5-10-2009 @ 12:35PM

Well Michigan Man..I do admire you input. But put is simple. Suspensions are reviewed AFTER the game and determined by Stu Jackson and Stern. What do they have to gain??? How bout ratings and ratings equal money. A Boston / Cleveland match up translates to more advertising. And advertising equals MONEY. You cannot be blind to the fact they they have been protecting the Celts very well in this post season. Just like they did last season.

5-09-2009 @ 3:32PM

kevin said...

how about the league fire stu jackson & get someone with balls that has no problem suspending player no matter who they are or how much they mean to thier team .someone like that sends a real message to all players we will not tolerate any of this bullshit.

5-09-2009 @ 4:29PM

wlabossier said...

Why suspend anyone let them play, suspend them for start of next season if it makes you feel better

5-09-2009 @ 5:22PM

Glenn20 said...

There's no way he'll be suspended. I don't know how how can feel so sure about it, Brett. I don't think the league will find any real difference between this and the Kobe play. In fact, elbows tend to be more intentional when two guys are about the same height, because of how high you have to raise the elbow. When you are a lot taller than the other guy, just raising your arm a little bit to fend someone off can end up being near the other guy's face. I also think it's a real stretch for you to say that he "lined him up". That would be more like what Fisher did.

5-09-2009 @ 6:05PM

lopjackie21 said...

djccreator......
Suspend KOBE??? Are you NUTS???
Oh....yes....you are just a Kobe hater as well!
I'm sorry you have such a dislike for my man KOBE!......LOL!

5-09-2009 @ 6:10PM

DUKE said...

THIS HAS BECOME A GAME OF GHETTO GOONS. UNEDUCATED THUGS. THE DAYS OF DR.J, BIRD, MAGIC, ARE GONE. THESE DUMBBELLS AND THE LEAGUE HAVE PUT THE GAME INTO THE DUMPER.

5-09-2009 @ 6:47PM

Actually Duke, There was a lot more of this going on in the days of Bird and Magic. It's just that the league wasn't suspension-happy back then. Guys like Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn probably wouldn't survive in 2009, because their style would be rendered useless.

5-09-2009 @ 7:18PM

jjones58781 said...

NOONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED, but if you want consistency then Rondo should have been suspended at least for the foul on Hinrich and Perkins should have been fouled for game 4. That is consistent for how they were explained.

5-09-2009 @ 8:10PM

krmagley said...

i really, really hate to say this, but i don't think that was a flagrant. i think pietrus walked in to the elbow and then flopped. perkins wasn't swinging it, he was trying to put an arm on pietrus' chest and aimed a little high.

maybe just the feeling of an elbow on your throat can cause you to back up super quick, but there was no transference of momentum there. that was a flop.

and for the record i think the celtics all year have been one of the dirtiest physical teams in the league.