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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant yells out in frustration after just missing a circus shot against the Nuggets defense late in the first half in game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at the Pepsi Center. (Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant yells out in frustration after just missing a circus shot against the Nuggets defense late in the first half in game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at the Pepsi Center. (Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Kendrick Perkins is a former NBA player who currently works as an analyst. Perkins played for 14 seasons with 5 different teams. But he was known for his stint with the Boston Celtics. He was part of the squad that beat Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 finals.
Perk was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft. After a few years, Perk was the starting center for the Celtics and he started for the Celtics in the 2008 season. He was known for his defense and toughness. However, Perk suffered multiple injuries which held him back in the latter stages of his career. He subsequently retired in 2018.
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Perk was in the squad that took down the Lakers in the 2008 Finals. It was double joy for the Celtics as they took down their long-term rivals. Likewise, this ended the 24-year drought for the Boston Celtics. Kobe has said the 2008 Finals loss was one of the toughest moments of his career.
Perk was recently on the All the Smoke Podcast to talk about various topics. One of them was him remembering Kobe on his two-year death anniversary. He says, ” In his loss, Kobe gave everything he could possibly could. Like we was to the point in 2008, you know what, we were going to give Kobe, we ain’t gonna give to him, but we can’t stop him. So it is it is, Ray, Wasn’t Stopping His A**… He Gonna get his”.
Kobe Bryant in the 2008 and 2010 Finals
Kobe had won the 2008 MVP award, and the Lakers had reached the finals the same year. However, they took on a Juggernaut in the Boston Celtics. The Celtics had a Big 3 at that time with KG, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, and they took down the Lakers in 6 games. In fact, they won game 6 in a record-breaking fashion, beating them by 38 points.
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 12: Paul Piece #34 of the Boston Celtics is guarded by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the 2008 NBA Finals on June 12, 2008 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant took this loss personally, and he vowed to get back again. The Lakers and Kobe won the championship in the following year against the Orlando Magic. However, in the 2010 Finals, they got their rematch against the Boston Celtics.
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Kobe didn’t have a particularly great series, as the games were closely contested. However, in Game 7, Kobe scored 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers clinched their 16th championship against their rivals. The Lakers rallied back after being down by as much as 13. This win gave Kobe his 5th championship and got him his revenge for the 2008 loss.
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