Is Ray Allen staying?

This article is from the Herald:

MIAMI — The Celtics [team stats], with last night’s win, are one win away from their third NBA Finals in five years.

Some would say the Big Three were never expected to have this long of a shelf life, and as Ray Allen admitted on several occasions this season, all bets are off this summer when his and Kevin Garnett’s contracts expire.

But Allen admitted last night that walking away will indeed be difficult.

“Starting three years ago those questions were starting to be asked, with (coach) Doc (Rivers) thrown in there at the same time,” he said. “To walk away from something when there’s so much there, it’s kind of hard to do that. You look around the league and you always question, ‘What does this guy stand for? Can you go to battle with him?’ That’s the unknown. But you know what you have in your locker room, and to walk away from that is tough. Every night we give ourselves a 60 percent chance of winning or greater. That’s what we all came here for, and you don’t want to give that away.

“Some of my best times in basketball winning, I won with those guys,” he said of Garnett and Paul Pierce [stats]. “I’ll always attribute great things to them. We’ll always be connected, wherever you go. When I call Kevin or Paul 20 years from now they had better pick the phone up, or call me up right away.”

Indeed, the day when the Big Three were first introduced as a trio seems like it was in the deep past.

“That press conference,” said Allen, “seems like it was at the beginning of my career, five years ago when we sat together and talked about the good things we can do together.”

Back in stride

Allen, after so much struggling with his shot and free throw form as the result of his ankle trouble, was 8-for-8 from the line. It appears that he has had a breakthrough.

“Where I am now is right where I’ve always been,” he said of last night’s performance. “I do have to say that my ankle contributed to it, because when I shoot free throws I’m a lift-off-my-feet shooter. I was watching film and that’s what I wasn’t doing. I wasn’t lifting and pushing through it, and I started shooting and trying to get it out of my hands. It was perplexing because I didn’t know what it was I wasn’t doing.

“I don’t think I’ve been to the free throw line since maybe the first game, that I shot so many free throws on my down time in between, and I figured out what it was. Then I was able to get into the game and knock them down.” . . .

Heat star guard Dwyane Wade was thrilled with Chris Bosh’s return from injury. It meant the Celtics could spend a lot less time trapping him with Garnett.

Proud in Green

As he has often said this season, there’s just something about this particular Celtics team that really appeals to Rivers.

It’s obviously been reflected on the floor.

“I look at this team and last year’s team, and last year’s team we would have been out of the playoffs already,” he said. “It just wasn’t the same. We weren’t a team. This team is very close. They’re very competitive. I think they understand (Rajon) Rondo is the leader of the team. Everybody else plays with Rondo. Kevin is still a great player. Paul is still our best scorer. They’ve kind of gotten out of each other’s way with roles.

“Then I think all the new guys have added a great competitive energy to our basketball team,” said Rivers. “So early on when we were losing, I kept saying people were getting conditioning mixed up with age. They kept looking at our team and, you know, they kept saying we’re too old.

“And I kept saying no, we’re out of shape. And let’s find out how good we are later.

“And I didn’t know either, honestly. Sometimes as a coach you have a feeling about a team. I don’t know how good this team is. I’ve said that, but I know it’s a team. And we can play with anybody.”


bob


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Kind of sad to think that they may not be together because it seems like they should retire in Green. It is such a proud feeling to say to people that "I AM A CELTIC FAN " have been before, now and forever. I love these guys!

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Kind of sad to think that they may not be together because it seems like they should retire in Green. It is such a proud feeling to say to people that "I AM A CELTIC FAN " have been before, now and forever. I love these guys!

While I agree with Rosalie's sentiment that the big 3 should retire as Celtics, the possibility (probability?) that this is the final run for them together should evoke another sentiment besides sadness -- appreciation for their character, what they've accomplished, and how they've brought back Celtic basketball from some dark days. They have been a gift, and a gift of this magnitude deserves commensurate appreciation. If these are their last days together, drink it in for all it's worth, no matter what the outcome.

I know that's obvious to most people here, but I just thought it deserved saying.

Rosalie Outside

Think I'm gonna wait for 5 more wins before I waste to much energy on this one.

If they win it all? Would any of them walk away on top of the world?

If they don't? Would they do what is needed to go at it one more time?

These are just somethings I don't want to focus on.


I don't remember a lot of the Russell years just the end 3-4. But I vividlly remember watching that game 7 on ABC in a tape delay with Hondo making that first jumper off the tip and thinking enjoy this as this will not last forever.

I do remember the Cowens years better, The drive of him leading those teams to 2 championships and what could have been more, and thinking enjoy this cause this will not last forever....

Then after the late 70's fiasco with the ownership and other problems on so many fronts, then to get new owners, a good coach, then Bird Parish and McHale what a ride that was for 10 years. Again I watched as much as I could cause this will not last forever.....

Then after the 2007 season. We were right there rusting away at the bottom like the Titanic...........then Ray, then KG and well we all know the rest. And again I watch as much as I can cause this too will not last forever.

Just how lucky we have been to have 4 eras of great teams to enjoy. And hopefully this era adds just a bit more.

beat

Well, I remember them all! Sat thru that 1968-69 year in my season ticket seat, went to the 7th game in Philadelphia, then, had to listen to Johnny Most for the final game in LA. My mother threatened that if I spent all that money and went to LA she would cancel my wedding!!!! I had to think a few minutes about that one, since I had the tickets waiting for me. Ah, 42 years later I still tell her I missed one of the best games in Celtic history!

Being and long time fan, I have seen some of the best come and go, Russell retired that year along with Sam Jones and we thought the world was coming to an end. Then along came Cowens and a whole new era was born. That three overtime game in Boston against Phoenix is probable the best game I ever sat thru. Then along came Bird, another era. We waited
a long time after Larry left for the Big Three, but they have really stolen my
heart. So, to let them go will be hard.

You are right Beat, we are worrying about the wrong thing today. Lets worry about the matters at hand.

I won't bother eating supper tonight, because it will probably not sit well
I tend to get very emotional, so I will just say:

GO CELTICS!!!!!!!

WE should be thankful for this run. If for damned injuries they would have given THe GARDEN more than the one banner. Then again, if ifs & buts were candy & nuts, everyday would be Christmas.

MD!

Is this season over? I hadn't realized it.

Sam

sam wrote:Is this season over? I hadn't realized it.

Sam

sam,

Who's the sly dog now?

bob

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sam wrote:Is this season over? I hadn't realized it.

Sam

Nah, it's not over. All I'm saying is to not wait until it's over to appreciate it. It's like the old Joni Mitchell song, Big Yellow Taxi: "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone."