Perk To Miss Six Weeks

All those vocal critics of Thunder center Kendrick Perkins are about to get their wish. Big Perk could miss the next six weeks of the season after undergoing surgery on his left groin.

Critics of the Thunder big man, have been calling for the team to amnesty him, or bench him or just outright release him. Now we will see what life in the NBA will be like for the Thunder without Perkins and it may not be pretty.

Perkins was forced out of the Thunder’s loss to Miami on Thursday night after suffering the injury. He was visibly in pain as he limped to the Thunder lockerroom.

Perkins originally was diagnosed with a strain but a visit to a specialist showed more serious damage.

The Thunder issued a statement this morning saying the surgery successfully repaired the injury and went on to say that Perkins would be out approximately six weeks.

This season Perkins has played in 54 games (all starts) and is averaging 3.4 points and 5.0 rebounds a game.

The Thunder have long maintained that Perkins value to the ball club goes far beyond stats. The mental toughness and attitude he brings, the screens he sets on offense and the defense he plays against other NBA bigs.

Rookie Steven Adams is expected to start Wednesday’s game against Cleveland but the Thunder have two open roster spots and could make a move to bring in a veteran center. The team also has flexibility within its roster to perhaps afford not doing that as well.

Perkins has missed three games this season, two because of the death of his grandfather and then Sunday’s game with the L.A. Clippers. Oklahoma City has lost all three of those games.