Kendrick Perkins was benched in the second half of the Oklahoma City Thunder's closeout win over the Houston Rockets on Friday, but Scott Brooks is confident that his big man will bounce back in the second round against the Memphis Grizzlies.

“This series was hard for him,” Brooks said of Perkins against the run-and-gun Rockets. “But his commitment to still cheer his teammates in the second half tells you what he's all about."

Perkins will receive plenty of minutes with the Grizzlies being anchored by Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

“Playing Memphis, he's going to get every minute that he deserves," Brooks said.