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Perkins exit leaves Boston locker room in tears

NBA Finals Game 4: Los Angeles Lakers v Boston Celtics

BOSTON - JUNE 10: Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celltics looks on against the Los Angeles Lakers during Game Four of the 2010 NBA Finals on June 10, 2010 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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The Boston locker room is tight.

This isn’t your average NBA locker room, with guys who get along okay, but after the practices they all head separate directions with their posses. Boston was different. Call it Ubuntu, call it a bond formed by winning a title, call it whatever you want, it was real.

And the trade of Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City Thunder hit the locker room hard, especially the emotional Perkins himself, said A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.

“There was a lot of crying, lot of hugging going on,” said Perkins. “And a lot of it was me.”

“It’s not even about a teammate. It felt like you lost a family member today,” (Kevin) Garnett said. “Tough day.”

“The only thing is, you hope that Danny (Ainge) and Doc (Rivers) know what they’re doing,” (Paul) Pierce said. “We trust in them. It is what it is. We can’t use any excuses, cry over spilled milk. Hopefully the guys we have coming in here and understand what we’re trying to do, is championship goals.”

Boston is going to get over the loss of Perkins in the locker room. Whether they get over the loss of him on the court — people we heard from in Miami and Chicago were happy to have Perkins in the Western Conference — we won’t know until May and June. If there is crying in the locker room after a series loss then Ainge will certainly hear about it.