Derek Fisher and Kendrick Perkins - Former bitter rivals now playing together to be champions: NBA
The Oklahoma City Thunder roster has two players who are not used to playing together on the same team. In fact, it has always been the other way around.
Kendrick Perkins and Derek Fisher have played on rival teams for much of their NBA career, and it took some adjustments to finally be on the same team.
Fisher had been a member of the Los Angeles Lakers up until early this year when he was traded to the Thunder. Perkins, on the other hand, played with the Boston Celtics in the early part of his career. The two players were on opposite sides of the court in 2008 and 2010, when the Lakers took against the Celtics in the NBA Finals.
The Celtics came through with the victory in 2008, while the Lakers evened it up by defeating the Celtics for the NBA Championship in 2010.
"It seems so long ago. Oftentimes, we’re talking about things in the locker room and I’ll get ready to say something and I’ll have to think twice about it, like, ‘Perk was on that team, so I better be careful before I say what I’m getting ready to say,’ " said Fisher.
Perkins was traded from the Celtics last year and landed in the Thunder line up. The move worked well for him as he has become a great asset for the team and has a chance of winning another NBA championship with them.
Regardless, Perkins is still slightly angry at his former team for trading him. He admitted that he was cheering on for the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals as he wanted to play against them in the NBA Finals, which would motivate him to “play a little angry”.
"You just want to get back at the team that traded you but at the end of the day, you’re just trying to win," said Perkins.
Perkins wishes were not fulfilled as the Heat defeated the Celtics in 7 games to qualify for the NBA Finals. Now, two players, once strong foes are looking to work together in order to win one more championship ring, this time with a different team.
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