Kendrick Perkins is old school. He does not shy away from hard fouls.
But clothesline a guy and you get ejected.
That’s just what Perkins did to Damian Lillard in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game in Portland. Perkins was staying back a little off the high pick-and-roll, which allowed Lillard to run downhill with a full head of steam, and Perkins was trying to keep up. And failing. So he fouled — but it ended up being a clothesline.
A blow to the head or neck like that is an automatic flagrant 2 and an ejection. Following the foul, there was also some chest puffing from Perkins and Mason Plumlee, which amounted to nothing.
Portland won the game 117-112.