NBA fans couldn’t help but vibe with Kendrick Perkins after the former Celtics center found himself on the wrong end of a quick one-liner from his co-host, Malika Andrews. While previewing the NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns, Perkins dropped a classic Big Perk line: “I’m not a big sauce guy so when I go and order chicken tenders, I ain’t getting ranch.”
Andrews didn’t let it slide. With perfect timing, she fired back, “You want the dry rub?” The look on Perkins’ face said it all — he didn’t see that curveball coming.
Perk: “I’m not a big sauce guy so when I go and order chicken tenders I ain’t getting ranch”
Malika: “You want the dry rub?” pic.twitter.com/9cLmW1dNCK
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) December 10, 2025
Fans ate up the moment.
@Tinfoil_man223 joked, “Malika ask me that & I’m folding like a cheap tent.”
@Mzombe added, “She had Perk percolating with the thought of a dry rubdown.”
And @DataDon89382 summed it up simply: “‘Eh ah uh’ she had him lost.”
Perkins has always brought loud takes and playful energy to NBA Today, often tossing out bold predictions or lighthearted flirtations toward his co-panelists. This time, though, he was the one caught slipping.
“This not gonna age well”: NBA fans push back on Kendrick Perkins’ OKC prediction
The Thunder are playing like a team hungry to defend their crown. At 24-1, they’ve bulldozed their way to the league’s best record, and Kendrick Perkins believes something historic is brewing.
On Tuesday’s Road Trippin’ episode with Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye, Perkins dropped another over-the-top proclamation.
“They might go 80-2,” he said. “I mean this with every big bone in my body. That 73-9 record that Golden State got. OKC beating that this year. Hands down.”
“They might go 80-2. I mean this with every big bone in my body. That 73-9 record that Golden State got. OKC beating that this year. Hands down.”
— Kendrick Perkins on OKC
(via @RoadTrippinShow, h/t @NBA__Courtside)pic.twitter.com/a0DFpudoVx
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 10, 2025
Plenty of fans weren’t buying it.
@ManMan110204 wrote, “This not gonna age well trust.”
@5Checo4 urged caution: “Relax, the Thunder are 23-1, which is great, but let’s see how their record is looking in February or March, but right now y’all have to relax.”
@Sc30pion didn’t hold back, saying, “Why does Perkins still have a platform he’s literally the most braindead person I’ve seen comment on NBA basketball along with Skip.”
Still, OKC keeps rolling. After dominating Group A, they cruised past the Phoenix Suns 138-89 on Wednesday to set up a semifinal matchup with the San Antonio Spurs — another step toward adding the NBA Cup to their growing trophy case.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
