Heat’s on Ray Allen with this move

BOSTON HERALD

Temperatures rise with Miami signing

By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Beat

Some time late Friday night, the executives from the NBA’s television partners simultaneously said those three magic words: “Make the next one champagne.”

Sure, that’s five words, but they’d already had a few martinis by then, and, well, why are you bothering them with details when they’d just struck a vein of box office gold?

There is no question that Celtics [team stats]-Heat was already going to be featured fare whenever they met next season, but with Ray Allen bolting Boston for Miami, you’re now looking at opening night and possibly Christmas.


If Allen thought there was a chance he could make a smooth and rational change of basketball address, he thought wrong. This is going to be hysterical.

Allen will have a network camera on him from the moment he gets off the bus or out of his car at the arena. And, the hell with moderation, the Judas Shuttlesworth angle will be played up all through the media.

It would have been mainly a basketball story if Allen had left the Celts for another club. When he said yes to Miami, this became a love triangle of biblical proportion.

I have no issue with Allen’s decision. He did what was in his rights. Then again, I don’t have a sailboat in this regatta. But, in fact, it’s a bit refreshing in a way that a professional athlete is taking significantly less money to do what he wants.

The loyalty ship sailed long ago when the Celtics tried on more than one occasion to trade him — as is their right — and no one came screaming to his defense when the rumored moves hit the media.

If Allen wants to stick a jumper in the face of management, he can justify the shot.

But what does he say to Paul Pierce [stats] and Kevin Garnett? (We leave out the whole Rajon Rondo [stats] issue because Allen would have gotten over it in a second if the Celts had paid him what he asked.) How awkward will that first meeting be? How will the Still Celtics react when Allen drives the lane?

It’s easy to say these guys are all just dribbling corporate entities, but unless Garnett is completely full of fertilizer, this just got personal. Excuse me, more personal.

It’s likely Pierce and KG will be diplomatic when they speak to you through us, but we’d love to spring for a round of sodium pentothal. Do you get the feeling those two will look back a tad differently on that piazza interview back in Rome five years ago? Or to the preseason duck boat ride with coach Doc Rivers?

But it’s not like the guy broke any rules. In simple point of fact, Allen was a free agent because the Celtics let him get there. And once he was free, he chose to play elsewhere.

Ah, but this is sports. Simple points of fact are largely irrelevant. Followers of a team make an emotional investment. They check rational at the How Allen handles this thing in the days and months to come may have an impact on how he is perceived around here years from now (pro tip, Ray: Say no to the smoke machine). But in addition to his film career, Allen is now starring in a soap opera.

You may not like it, but there are some Dom Perignon-drenched league and TV execs who are having a very happy weekend in the Hamptons.

Ray Walks:door — as is their right.

And here is where Allen may not fully grasp the situation. If he still wants Boston to be there for him when his playing days are through, he might not fully get what he wants. When Allen is first introduced at the Garden next season, I actually expect the overriding class of the crowd to express appreciation for the past five years, for sacrificing personal aspects of his game and playing hurt.

Then, after those several seconds, the wrath of fans scorned will rain down upon him. Johnny Damon was one of the Red Sox [team stats]’ beloved Idiots. Allen was one of the Big Three.

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