Kendrick Perkins isn’t sold on Lakers’ title chances despite 11-2 start

The Lakers have the NBA’s best record. Kendrick Perkins wants to see who they can beat before putting them among the league’s true title contenders.

Perkins said on the Road Trippin’ Show that the Lakers still need a victory against one of the teams he considers a championship threat.

“I don’t believe that they’re title contenders yet because they haven’t got a real signature win yet,” Perkins said, via Fadeaway World.

“They haven’t beat a OKC although OKC is injured. They haven’t beat a Houston Rockets team or the Spurs … Or the Knicks or something like that. Detroit, yeah, no Jalen Duren also … I need a real signature win-type moment.”

The Lakers have beaten the Pistons and Trail Blazers, both of whom are 8-3. And while Perkins pointed out Duren’s absence in Sunday’s win over Detroit, the Lakers were missing Luka Doncic that night, too.

Winning that one without Doncic deserves some credit. So does an 11-2 start, regardless of the schedule.

Still, there is room to question how the Lakers will hold up against the best teams over a playoff series. Their offense leads the NBA with a 121.6 offensive rating, but their defense ranks 18th.

Richard Jefferson agreed with Perkins’ overall assessment, pointing to the Spurs and Thunder as the West’s leading teams when healthy.

The Lakers will get a chance to address part of that argument Nov. 27, when they visit the defending Western Conference champion Spurs.

Until then, they can keep piling up wins. There are worse problems than having to convince Kendrick Perkins that they count.

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