Rondo has to cash the check Perk's mouth wrote

Chris Paul is pretty much regarded as the best point guard in the league.  Rajon Rondo, however, doesn't seem to be impressed.  At least... if you believe SI's Chris Mannix

Kendrick Perkins just told me that Rondo said "Chris Paul has the stats that he has because he has the ball in his hands all game." Yikes

Whoa... since when is Kendrick Perkins the "mouth off to the reporter" guy?  And we're tweaking one of the best players in the league?  HornetsHype sums it up nicely:

This is terrifyingly like poking a dragon with a stick. OK, the Hornets look like a massive work in progress still, while the Celtics already seem to be clicking the best out of the potential title contenders in these early days of the season. So it’s not like we’re expecting a huge victory Sunday, or anything. But the fact remains that you don’t poke a dragon with a stick. It breathes motherfreakin’ fire. It’s not safe. I’m not saying the Hornets are going to come out and win this game, bulletin board material or not. I’m just saying if they do, the Celtics will know who is to blame

What else can I say but... bingo. 

The Celtics defense is good.  Damn good.  But you don't need to give one of the best any added motivation. 

But then again... it's gonna set up one hell of a battle between Rondo and Paul.  We might have one of those "neither guy can stop the other" type battles brewing... which will at least make for an exciting game.

Oh, and Chris Mannix?  I'd tread lightly the next time you come across Kendrick Perkins... unless you're absolutely sure he was cool with you tweeting that.  Yeah, maybe Perk needs a refresher on what "off the record" means... but that sounds so far out of Perk's character, I find it hard to believe he was telling you that in a "go ahead and print it" kind of way.