technical details
  1. is_video => true
  2. is_chrome_page => null
  3. article_body => "<p>The Trail Blazers first three games of their first round series against the Denver Nuggets were chippy at times to say the least.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>After Game 4 with Portland evening up the series at two apiece following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/trail-blazers\/instant-analysis-norman-powell-shines-blazers-game-4-drubbing-nuggets\">Saturday\u2019s 115-95 victory,<\/a> there was some major shade thrown or we should say, some major shade thrown back.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Portland held Denver to 34.0 percent from the field.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But when asked about slowing down the Nuggets and holding Nikola Jokic to 16 points, Jusuf Nurkic posed the question of -- was it the Blazers defense or was it just a bad shooting night for the Nuggets?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>With a smile on his face, Nurkic said, \u201cwhen they make shots, it\u2019s a great offense, and when they miss shots it\u2019s a bad offense for them, right?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Come to find out, Nurkic was fired up about criticism from TV pundits on both social media and TV&nbsp;regarding his individual defense and overall play.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Former NBA big man and current ESPN analyst, Kendrick Perkins had plenty to say about Nurk and the Blazers defense following Portland\u2019s loss in Game 3.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Perkins didn\u2019t hold back.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"9353ec26-f774-4d59-bf6d-41dc8a3cc49b\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kendrickperkins\/status\/1398143431759761414?s=21\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1622331853\" data-url-provider=\"Twitter\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\n<p>As one would imagine, Nurkic, who prides himself on altering shots and anchoring the Blazers defense, didn\u2019t take kindly to such a comment. &nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>\u201cI hear some clown say that I\u2019m the worst defensive player in the league,\u201d Nurkic said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019m able to talk about defense, if I\u2019m the one.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>When asked to clarify whom he was talking about, Nurkic had much more to say.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"af6aa040-3b47-428f-84b0-52835c6b617b\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p>Nurk went on to explain that his role is not to be the franchise player like it is for Jokic, adding that he realizes Perkins has to drum up controvesation and likes on Twitter.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>\u201cI know he has to get RTs and stuff like that, but I ain\u2019t here for that,\u201d Nurkic added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The Blazers starting center didn\u2019t actually see the tweet, but heard about it before Game 4.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>CJ McCollum, who finished with 21 points in the win, didn\u2019t know about the comments, but added, \u201c\u201cWell, if that\u2019s what he did, that\u2019s what it was, man,\u201d&nbsp;as for using the tweet&nbsp;for any&nbsp;motivation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Nurk recorded 17 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and one steal while finishing with an impressive plus-32.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>And he didn't stop at the Perkins comments.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Following Game 2\u2019s loss, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/trail-blazers\/stephen-smith-rips-jusuf-nurkic-where-hell-are-you\">Stephen A. Smith ripped Nurkic, asking, \"where the hell are you?!\"<\/a>&nbsp;The TV personality also said Nurkic \"gets on my damn nerves.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Well, Nurkic didn\u2019t just let his play speak for itself when responding to the ESPN host. &nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>\u201cObviously, I see Stephen A. coming after me,\u201d he said. &nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"2d11bf95-d87f-4c89-80de-2cebdda8911d\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p>Nurkic continued on Perkins, saying,&nbsp;\u201cBut coming from the guy, like I said who couldn\u2019t play in this league right now\u2026 And he\u2019s saying about defense. I don\u2019t know, you tell me who he is and I\u2019ll listen to him.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Nurkic added that he doesn\u2019t know if the comments actually motivated him and that he doesn\u2019t think he did anything extremely different from Game 3 to Game 4 defensively.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But, he didn\u2019t get into foul trouble, which he said was his focus.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>After the game, Perkins reacted to the comments of being called a clown in what is now a deleted tweet.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"paragraphs_inline_entity_form\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"7080454f-6923-40b4-ab57-8b2426e34a59\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p>Perkins deleted that tweet to instead&nbsp;let&nbsp;Nurkic know who he was as a player back in his day&nbsp;after&nbsp;posting&nbsp;this video of Kobe Bryant gassing him up.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kendrickperkins\/status\/1398785476874620929?s=21\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1622332946\" data-url-provider=\"Twitter\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\n<p>But while a feud has been ignited against these two big men, Perkins got one thing right in his deleted tweet...&nbsp;Carry the hell on, Nurk!<\/p>\r\n"
  4. created => 1622329661
  5. changed => 1622353577
  6. status => true
  7. hero_image_credit => "USA Today Images"
  8. tags => null
  9. field_bean_single_col => null
  10. section => null
  11. orig_image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"3551","height":"2367","uri":"public:\/\/article\/hero\/JusufNurkic_GettyImages-1320700990.jpg","timestamp":1622329661}
  12. image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"3551","height":"2367","uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/\/2021\/05\/29\/JusufNurkic_GettyImages-1320700990.jpg","timestamp":1622329661}
  13. video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/video\/jusuf-nurkic-aint-happy-kendrick-perkins"
  14. is_mediaid => true
  15. mediaid => "UMvdNlseqSWy"
  16. video_autoplay => null
  17. video_automute => null
  18. mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
  19. player_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/vplayer\/p\/BxmELC\/northwest_main\/select\/media\/UMvdNlseqSWy?form=html&autoPlay=false"
  20. chrome_data => null
  21. description => "The Trail Blazers evened the series vs. the Nuggets! It was Norman Powell's world in Game 4, but Jusuf Nurkic stole the show postgame."
  22. league => "NBA"
  23. league_id => "101"
  24. sport => "Basketball"
  25. sport_id => "6"
  26. eyebrow => "Trail Blazers"
  27. image_credit => "USA Today Images"
  28. no_promo => false
  29. no_trending_in_body => false
  30. no_recirc => false
  31. no_trend => false
  32. short_title => "Jusuf Nurkic claps back at Kendrick Perkins & Stephen A. Smith over criticism"
  33. sponsorship_type => "presented_by"
  34. type => "article"
  35. alias => "\/northwest\/trail-blazers\/jusuf-nurkic-claps-back-kendrick-perkins-stephen-smith-over-criticism"
  36. title => "Jusuf Nurkic claps back at Kendrick Perkins & Stephen A. Smith over criticism"
  37. nid => "475371"
  38. author_0 => "Jamie Hudson"
  39. author_0_id => "15896"
  40. mps => {"author_0":"Jamie Hudson"}
  41. region => "northwest"
  42. region_id => "5"
  43. sponsor => null
  44. sponsor_id => null
  45. team_id => "136"
  46. team => "Trail Blazers"
  47. published => 1622331464
  48. article_type => "short"
  49. meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/northwest\/trail-blazers\/jusuf-nurkic-claps-back-kendrick-perkins-stephen-smith-over-criticism.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/\/2021\/05\/29\/JusufNurkic_GettyImages-1320700990.jpg"]}
Trail Blazers

/ by Jamie Hudson
Trail Blazers

Jamie Hudson

The Trail Blazers first three games of their first round series against the Denver Nuggets were chippy at times to say the least. 

After Game 4 with Portland evening up the series at two apiece following Saturday’s 115-95 victory, there was some major shade thrown or we should say, some major shade thrown back.

Portland held Denver to 34.0 percent from the field.

But when asked about slowing down the Nuggets and holding Nikola Jokic to 16 points, Jusuf Nurkic posed the question of -- was it the Blazers defense or was it just a bad shooting night for the Nuggets?

With a smile on his face, Nurkic said, “when they make shots, it’s a great offense, and when they miss shots it’s a bad offense for them, right?”

Come to find out, Nurkic was fired up about criticism from TV pundits on both social media and TV regarding his individual defense and overall play.

Former NBA big man and current ESPN analyst, Kendrick Perkins had plenty to say about Nurk and the Blazers defense following Portland’s loss in Game 3.

Perkins didn’t hold back.

Mike Malone flat out coached Terry Stotts!!! Nurkic and Kanter are the worse defensive bigs in the NBA!

Kendrick Perkins posted on Twitter

As one would imagine, Nurkic, who prides himself on altering shots and anchoring the Blazers defense, didn’t take kindly to such a comment.  

“I hear some clown say that I’m the worst defensive player in the league,” Nurkic said. “I don’t know if I’m able to talk about defense, if I’m the one.”

 

When asked to clarify whom he was talking about, Nurkic had much more to say.

The big fella, Perkins, Kendrick Perkins, I guess in this league today he’d be a mascot. I don’t know why he claimed a thing like that and I like him as a person, too. 

Jusuf Nurkic

Nurk went on to explain that his role is not to be the franchise player like it is for Jokic, adding that he realizes Perkins has to drum up controvesation and likes on Twitter. 

“I know he has to get RTs and stuff like that, but I ain’t here for that,” Nurkic added.

The Blazers starting center didn’t actually see the tweet, but heard about it before Game 4.

CJ McCollum, who finished with 21 points in the win, didn’t know about the comments, but added, ““Well, if that’s what he did, that’s what it was, man,” as for using the tweet for any motivation.

Nurk recorded 17 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and one steal while finishing with an impressive plus-32.

And he didn't stop at the Perkins comments.

Following Game 2’s loss, Stephen A. Smith ripped Nurkic, asking, "where the hell are you?!" The TV personality also said Nurkic "gets on my damn nerves."

Well, Nurkic didn’t just let his play speak for itself when responding to the ESPN host.  

“Obviously, I see Stephen A. coming after me,” he said.  

He’s sick of me. I don’t know if I can do anything about it. Those guys do what they do and I respect it at some point, but I’m not worried too much about them.  

Jusuf Nurkic  

Nurkic continued on Perkins, saying, “But coming from the guy, like I said who couldn’t play in this league right now… And he’s saying about defense. I don’t know, you tell me who he is and I’ll listen to him.”

Nurkic added that he doesn’t know if the comments actually motivated him and that he doesn’t think he did anything extremely different from Game 3 to Game 4 defensively.

But, he didn’t get into foul trouble, which he said was his focus.

After the game, Perkins reacted to the comments of being called a clown in what is now a deleted tweet. 

Perkins deleted that tweet to instead let Nurkic know who he was as a player back in his day after posting this video of Kobe Bryant gassing him up. 

But while a feud has been ignited against these two big men, Perkins got one thing right in his deleted tweet... Carry the hell on, Nurk!