Boston's starting center Perkins out with shoulder strain

0 Comments | Philadelphia Daily News, June, 2008 | by PHIL JASNER jasnerp@phillynews.com

LOS ANGELES - The Boston Celtics were forced to shoulder on.

That became their path when starting center Kendrick Perkins was declared out of last night's Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Perkins, who suffered what is being called a left shoulder strain in Game 4, was replaced in the lineup by Leon Powe, with 38-year-old P.J. Brown designated as the backup.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Perkins "called me this morning and he said there's just no chance of it. We're prepared for it. We can go a lot of ways. We can go small, but we're going to start out big."

Perkins had his shoulder surgically repaired 2 years ago.

Rivers said he would be careful with minutes for Brown, and that without Perkins power forward Kevin Garnett would...