Zach Randolph on Kendrick Perkins: ‘He Can’t Stop Me. He’s Too Slow’

Z-Bo’s dramatic star turn in this year’s postseason has led to some highlights off the court as well, mainly in front of reporters’ microphones. Fox Sports has the latest bit of trash talk from the Grizzlies’ dominant power forward: “I take full accountability of this game,’ said the 6-foot-10, 280-pound [Kendrick] Perkins, who had a mere two points and six rebounds. ‘I feel like I let us down.’ The No. 4 Thunder got plenty of points from perimeter guys Kevin Durant (33) and Russell Westbrook (29). But the Thunder’s image of being soft inside, supposedly vanquished with Perkins’ arrival, returned. At least Perkins didn’t exhibit any nice-guy talk afterward by heaping praise on [Zach] Randolph. That was Durant’s job. ‘You can’t stop him,’ Durant said. ‘He’s an animal . . . He’s the best power forward in the league.’ Perkins didn’t rubber stamp that endorsement. Perkins declined to name his top power forward, but it’s not Randolph. ‘If he says so,’ Perkins said about Durant’s opinion. ‘I don’t agree . . . I’m not going to give my opposing opponent the credit that I got to go against. So if Kevin says (Randolph is) the best power forward, then that’s Kevin’s opinion.’ After being told in a news conference about Durant’s compliment, Randolph said, ‘Oh, yeah, I got to agree with that. Thanks, KD. I appreciate it.’ Randolph also said that, overall, ‘I don’t get lot of respect that I deserve.’ Certainly not from Perkins. Informed what the Boston big man had said, the 6-9, 255-pound Randolph [said]: ‘Perk’s good, but all Perk can do is foul me. That’s the only thing he can do. The best thing about his defense on me is to foul me . . . He can’t (stop Randolph). He’s too slow. He’s a big body. He can foul. I don’t think nobody in the league can stop me. Not only Perk. I tell Perk to his face. I already told him before.'”