Kendrick Perkins Thinks Erik Spoelstra Could Be Difference-Maker In Miami Heat-Boston Celtics Series

When the series began, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins predicted the Boston Celtics would sweep the Miami Heat.

After the Heat evened things at 1 Wednesday, Perkins is rethinking his claim. He posted a video on X, formerly know as Twitter, about the state of series.

"Every single time I start to put a little bit of trust in the Boston Celtics, and here we go again," Perkins said in the video. "This was supposed to be a sweep. Y'all the far better team. No Jimmy Butler. No Terry Rozier. For sure this should have been a sweep. Y'all supposed to be standing on business."

There is no timetable on when Rozier or Butler will return this postseason, if at all. But Perkins said the X-factor could be Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. Perkins feels Spoelstra holds an edge against Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla.

A few years ago, Spoelstra was named one of the top 15 coaches in NBA history. He's won two titles in six appearances in the NBA Finals. Last year he led the No. 8 seed Heat to the Finals, defeating Mazzulla and the Celtics in the conference finals.

"This is the moment y'all been telling the world y'all been waiting on," Perkins said. "But damn it here my big dumbass go again knowing better, knowing that Erik Spoelstra and Joe Mazzulla is a damn matchup. Erik Spoelstra had them boys ready to go and they showed out in great fashion."

The series returns to Miami for Game 3 Saturday night.