The Boston Celtics are a team that has always prided itself on its defense. The Celtics managed to shut down All-Star Pascal Siakam during their second-round matchup against the Raptors during the Orlando bubble, and it looked like they were an elite defense. Having two switchable wing player in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum helps with that, but despite their young stars being elite defensively, the Celtics still have some issues that they need to work out.
Kendrick Perkins, an NBA champion who played for the 2008 Boston Celtics recently highlighted the defensive issues that they were having. Perkins seems to suggest that there need to be some improvements and that the defense isn’t at last year’s level.
"This is not the same Celtic team that I saw defensively last year." –@KendrickPerkins pic.twitter.com/bSz4goMHKj
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 28, 2021
Perkins mentions that Kemba Walker is being searched out on the defensive end similar to another smaller guard in Stephen Curry. It makes sense that teams would go after the weakest defender in the lineup, even if it’s only due to size. While sometimes there is nothing you can do against a bigger player, Perkins wants Walker to take some pride in the defensive end of the ball.
While the Boston Celtics defense has been fairly inconsistent, with a defensive-minded coach like Brad Stevens, it is bound to improve eventually. As the season goes on, the Boston Celtics will likely shore up the holes in their defenses, and hopefully, show why they are one of the top competitors for the title.
