BOSTON - Kendrick Perkins doesn't remember the 1980s-era Celtics teams.
"I was 5 years old," he said with a smile.
He's still astute enough to realize that finally, after four-plus seasons in the NBA, he's part of a squad that reminds people of the Celtics of old.
Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce have re-energized - and humbled - Perkins.
"I still feel like a rookie with the three guys we've got," the 23-year-old center admitted before the Celtics beat New Jersey 91-69 at TD Banknorth Garden.
The Celtics improved to 7-0 for the first time since the 1972-73 season.
Perkins is a starter now, which means this is no time for admiration.
"You really have to be observant," said Perkins, who scored 10 points last night and is averaging 6.4 per game. "They give a lot of advice."
Garnett, Allen and Pierce are like teachers on the floor. Each one brings something different to the table, seventh-year forward Brian Scalabrine said.
Allen is the drill sergeant.
"Ray's always saying 'Scal do this, Scal do that,'" Scalabrine said.
Garnett is the intellectual.
"I can ask him about any player in the NBA and he'll tell me his tendencies," Scalabrine said.
Pierce is the consummate pro.
"He's always working on his game," Scalabrine said. "He's a basketball junkie."
Together, they're a force that appears to be rubbing off on the team's younger stalwarts.
Take last night's game, for example.
Second-year point guard Rajon Rondo (14 points) and fourth-year guard Tony Allen (5 points) gave Boston a lift when it needed it most. Perkins played some valuable minutes, blocking four shots and grabbing eight rebounds.
"That's how we want to build this team," Ray Allen said. "(Garnett, Pierce and I) have so much pressure from the defense, they're going to be up on us, they're going to put so much pressure on us, and they're going to let Rajon shoot and Kendrick shoot.
"I think as the season progresses, say the 20-, 30-game mark; you'll probably see Kendrick and Rajon score more because they'll start realizing where they're getting their opportunities from."
Last night, for the first time this season, the new Big Three looked semi-human.
"I was 5 years old," he said with a smile.
He's still astute enough to realize that finally, after four-plus seasons in the NBA, he's part of a squad that reminds people of the Celtics of old.
Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce have re-energized - and humbled - Perkins.
"I still feel like a rookie with the three guys we've got," the 23-year-old center admitted before the Celtics beat New Jersey 91-69 at TD Banknorth Garden.
The Celtics improved to 7-0 for the first time since the 1972-73 season.
Perkins is a starter now, which means this is no time for admiration.
"You really have to be observant," said Perkins, who scored 10 points last night and is averaging 6.4 per game. "They give a lot of advice."
Garnett, Allen and Pierce are like teachers on the floor. Each one brings something different to the table, seventh-year forward Brian Scalabrine said.
Allen is the drill sergeant.
"Ray's always saying 'Scal do this, Scal do that,'" Scalabrine said.
Garnett is the intellectual.
"I can ask him about any player in the NBA and he'll tell me his tendencies," Scalabrine said.
Pierce is the consummate pro.
"He's always working on his game," Scalabrine said. "He's a basketball junkie."
Together, they're a force that appears to be rubbing off on the team's younger stalwarts.
Take last night's game, for example.
Second-year point guard Rajon Rondo (14 points) and fourth-year guard Tony Allen (5 points) gave Boston a lift when it needed it most. Perkins played some valuable minutes, blocking four shots and grabbing eight rebounds.
"That's how we want to build this team," Ray Allen said. "(Garnett, Pierce and I) have so much pressure from the defense, they're going to be up on us, they're going to put so much pressure on us, and they're going to let Rajon shoot and Kendrick shoot.
"I think as the season progresses, say the 20-, 30-game mark; you'll probably see Kendrick and Rajon score more because they'll start realizing where they're getting their opportunities from."
Last night, for the first time this season, the new Big Three looked semi-human.
"I don't think you'll ever see us play a perfect game," said Garnett, who compared last night's win to a bar fight.
Allen, the ex-UConn great, scored 14 points, but shot poorly (4 for 14). Garnett got into foul trouble, picking up his fourth personal at 4:38 in the third quarter. Pierce scored only 15 points, but contributed elsewhere.
"I'm constantly talking to (Tony)," Pierce said. "He's real emotional. He gets down on himself I think too much. A lot of times I just tell him not to worry about the mistakes he makes and just play the game."
Allen, who's still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery after last year's ill-fated dunk, didn't seem to want to talk about himself afterward.
"This really was nothing about T.A.," the Oklahoma State product said, channeling the Patriots. "It was more about the team. Everybody contributed."
Their collective performance, at least in Pierce's opinion, proved that the new Big Three doesn't need to have a huge performance for the Celtics to succeed.
"There are going to be nights like that, and we've said it," Pierce said. "It was a night where the bench guys stepped up."
But in the end, the team belongs to Ray Allen, Garnett and Pierce.
Tony Allen, Perkins, Rondo, and the rest of their young teammates, are well aware of that.
Alan Siegel is a sports writer at The Eagle-Tribune. E-mail him at ASiegel@eagletribune.com.
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CELTS BOX:
Final score: Celtics 91, Nets 69
Hero: Kevin Garnett. Despite foul trouble, he finished with a team-high 16 points and eight rebounds.
Key statistics: Boston - Paul Pierce (15 points), Ray Allen (14 points), Kendrick Perkins (10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks); New Jersey - Richard Jefferson (21 points, 6 rebounds), Jason Kidd (19 points, 7 assists), Sean Williams (14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks)
Attendance: 18,624
Stat of the game: 35. The number of years since Boston last started a season 7-0 (1972-73).
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