Kendrick Perkins has chosen the Boston Celtics to win the Eastern Conference but not the NBA title.

Kendrick Perkins has recently made noteworthy statements about his former team, the Boston Celtics, even likening head coach Joe Mazzulla to a bird. During the NBA All-Star festivities, Perkins expressed confidence in the Celtics winning the Eastern Conference but predicted a team from the Western Conference to take the NBA title.

He stated, “They are the team that I have picked to come out of the Eastern Conference… I’m thinking Clippers-Celtics finals. A new type of L.A. vibe. Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum going at it. I’m looking at a seven-game series, and I would slightly give the edge to the Clippers, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Celtics won.”

Perkins highlighted Kristaps Porzingis as a crucial factor in the Celtics’ quest for their 18th championship. He expressed concern about Porzingis’ ability to stay healthy, stating, “I want to see if Porzingis’ body is going to hold up. That’s my only concern with the Celtics for the long haul. As of right now, when you talk about the depth at the wing position that could defend, I don’t know any other team in the Eastern Conference that could match that.”

Despite Porzingis missing 15 games for the Celtics, Perkins acknowledged his significant contributions, averaging 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 blocks in 40 games.

As of the latest update, the Celtics boast the league’s best record at 43-12, holding a six-game lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Perkins’ predictions suggest optimism for the Celtics’ performance in the playoffs, with the caveat of monitoring Porzingis’ durability as a potential factor in their postseason success.