The Boston Celtics may be in trouble. After squandering another 20-point lead in Game 2 against the New York Knicks, they are down 0-2 in the series.
They dropped two home games and are now two losses away from being eliminated in the second round. This 0-2 hole is something no one saw coming at the start of the postseason. While there is hope that the Celtics can come back, as many teams save a comeback from a 0-2 deficit, former Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins is not convinced.
In his appearance on ESPN's Get Up on Thursday, Perkins was as blunt as ever, saying he believes the Celtics are 'done.'
"The Celtics are done. They're not coming back in this series. ... The Celtics will be lucky to get one game."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 8, 2025
—@KendrickPerkins pic.twitter.com/nkWsCZ0I5i
“This series is over,” Perkins said. I don’t give a damn about what the Celtics’ road wins and what their record look like. First of all, do you realize how rocking Madison Square Garden is going to be in Game 3? The energy in itself is going to have the Knicks players making shots. Do you realize that they have one of the best, the best clutch guy in Jalen Brunson? Do you realize that role players actually play better at home? So I’m expecting Mitchell Robinson, Deuce McBride, even Mikal Bridges to play better at home. Although Mikal Bridges and those guys been playing better on the road.
“Look, right now, they have the mental edge over the Boston Celtics. I don’t give a damn what nobody say. The Celtics are done. They’re not coming back in this series. I have all the trust and faith in the New York Knicks. They’re going to win this series. The Celtics will be lucky to get one game,” he concluded.
The Celtics certainly have not looked great, especially down the stretch. Boston has settled for a ton of threes, and so far, this series is been part of their downfall. Although they've done enough to create big leads for themselves, they have failed to execute late in games for the first two games.
Boston seemed to tense up late in games and allowed the Knicks to not only get back in the game but steal it in front of their home crowd. With the series shifting to Madison Square Garden, it is safe to call Games 3 and 4 must-win for the defending champions.
Perkins, the former Celtics big man, helped guide Boston to their title in 2008 and a Finals appearance in 2010.
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Shams Charania Expects Big Changes For Celtics This Offseason
For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.
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