Perkins returns to Boston with the surging Oklahoma City Thunder to face his former team for the first time Monday night, and the aging Celtics are in the midst of a four-game losing streak.
These clubs surprised the league with their deal just before the deadline last season, with Boston sending Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. Perkins will be the only one of those four in this game, with Robinson having moved on to Golden State, Green recovering from heart surgery and Krstic playing in Russia.
Perkins, who spent seven-plus seasons with the Celtics and was the starting center on the 2008 NBA championship squad, said he was initially devastated by the trade but felt differently upon arriving in Oklahoma City.
The Celtics' chemistry was negatively affected by the trade, with Kevin Garnett saying at the time that "you feel like you lost a family member." Boston was trying to piece together a roster for another title run, but it lost in five games to Miami in the conference semifinals.
Now, it appears the veteran-laden team's window is closing fast. Another loss Monday would give the Celtics (4-7) their first five-game losing streak and first four-game home skid since Garnett and Ray Allen arrived to join Paul Pierce in 2007.-http://www.cbssports.com
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