Tag: Ray Allen

LeBron James Finals Re-Watch Diary: Game 1, 2013 NBA Finals

LeBron James and the Miami Heat are back in the Finals, looking to defend their 2012 title against the San Antonio Spurs.

During the NBA’s indefinite hiatus, I will be rewatching every game of LeBron’s NBA Finals career. Every Finals game from the last 20 years is available to NBA League Pass subscribers on the NBA app or through apps like YouTube TV. We will be going chronologically through LeBron’s Finals career. 

Previous Finals Game Diaries

Game 1, 2007 NBA Finals: LeBron’s first Finals game.

Game 2, 2007 NBA Finals: LeBron bounces back but falls down 0-2.

Game 3, 2007 NBA Finals: LeBron gets the last shot but it doesn’t go.

Game 4, 2007 NBA Finals: Staying home.

Game 1, 2011 NBA Finals: LeBron’s first Finals victory.

Game 2, 2011 NBA Finals: Heat blow 15-point 4th quarter lead.

Game 3, 2011 NBA Finals: Bosh game-winner helps put Heat up 2-1.

Game 4, 2011 NBA Finals: LeBron has 8 points in Finals loss.

Game 5, 2011 NBA Finals: LeBron bounces back, but Mavs shoot the lights out.

Game 6, 2011 NBA Finals: Jason Terry and the Mavs burn down the Heat in Miami.

Game 1, 2012 NBA Finals: Westbrook and Durant lead comeback to take 1-0 lead over Heat.

Game 2, 2012 NBA Finals: LeBron applies lessons he learned from the Spurs in 2007 in a road win against the Thunder.

Game 3, 2012 NBA Finals: Miami escapes a late Durant rally to go up 2-1.

Game 4, 2012 NBA Finals: LeBron fights through cramps and an epic Westbrook performance to take 3-1 lead.

Game 5, 2012 NBA Finals:’ It’s about damn time’

To say that this series means a lot to me would be an understatement. It is probably the best game-for-game series in the last, oh I don’t know, forever of the NBA Finals. With all due respect to the 2016 Finals, most of the games in that series were blowouts. The 2012-13 season was also the first year that I was paid to cover the NBA, working as a media intern for the Portland Trail Blazers. It was Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis’ rookie season. And most importantly for the context of the league as a whole, LeBron had finally gotten over the hump and was a champion.

The Heat coming to town took on less of a villainous tone and more that of a traveling show that you couldn’t miss, a show that I was lucky to witness at least once during that season. The hatred of season’s past towards LeBron had generally worn off. While his brooding look before Game 6 in 2012 against the Celtics lives on as arguably LeBron’s most iconic moment, 2013 LeBron may have given us the best two-way basketball he’s played in his entire life. He carried it through the postseason, fending off a surprising challenger in the Indiana Pacers, who forced the Heat to a Game 7 in the Eastern Finals.

But what awaited LeBron on the other side of the Pacers was an old foe, one he has yet to score a win against in an NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs, this time with a twist: an athletic forward who was at least LeBron’s athletic equal, second-year forward Kawhi Leonard and another athletic wing with 3-point range by the name of Danny Green. 

The 2007 Spurs destroyed LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers due to their incredible advantage at guard play with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, as well as a collection of big men that were more skilled than what Cleveland had, alongside Tim Duncan. Thiago Splitter may not have been as skilled as Fabricio Oberto, but his rolling presence, rim-running, and rim-protection were the tenants that a modern center next to Tim Duncan needed to have. And while Bruce Bowen is no longer on the Spurs, they have modernized to join the times like the Heat. 

And so begins the Heat’s title defense, at home, after racking up an NBA-best 66-16 record, which included an iconic 27-game win-streak that still stands for many as the peak of the LeBron-era Heat. But long win-streaks are but answers to trivia questions when teams don’t bring home the title, as LeBron has had two 60-win seasons to this point in his career come up short of a championship. For the first basket, LeBron gets in transition and feeds a trailing Wade for a dunk, something that happened pretty much never in the 2007 Finals when LeBron passed to a teammate. 1 minute in, he’s already got a trailing cutter who can get a dunk. He’s a come a long way from watching Larry Hughes brick from the top of the key. The Spurs are up 9-2 early, however, as they’ve been a buzzsaw through the West playoffs.

The emergence of Leonard has been a huge factor for the Spurs in these playoffs, as he steps to the free-throw line in the first few minutes of the game. He’s averaging nearly 37 minutes per game and he will be the first choice for the Spurs to guard LeBron. The addition of Leonard helped the Spurs add athleticism and an upset by the Memphis Grizzlies over the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were without Russell Westbrook (or James Harden, who had been traded to Houston in October of 2012), moved the team that knocked them out the previous year out of the playoffs. In 2012, it looked like the Heat and Spurs were on a collision course until the Thunder reeled off four straight wins, and now we finally have it.

As for the Spurs who have been to the Finals before, Parker is still the catalyst for the Spurs offense with Duncan adding the glue, and Ginobili added much-needed sauce. Almost on cue, Ginobili is about to check in after Duncan connects with Parker for a layup. But the Heat are having no trouble keeping pace and actually have a 15-13 lead midway through the first quarter, as Wade and Bosh, in particular, are being active in the scoring, while Chalmers hit an early 3-pointer. LeBron is more of a facilitator for most of this game, only turning on the scoring punch until he had to in the 4th quarter.

Also, Boris Diaw is in the game and he immediately assists on a corner 3-pointer for Danny Green to give the Spurs the lead back. This is a Boris Diaw fan blog. I just wanted to let you all know here and now. Diaw ballooned in weight with the Charlotte Bobcats because he didn’t want to be there, got waived because Michael Jordan got fed up with him, and eventually became a part of two Finals teams with the Spurs while enjoying pregame cappuccinos. We have no choice but to Stan.

However, the Heat have made a few changes this season as well to boost their bench. Chris “The Birdman” Anderson, is prominently filling the role of back-up center and has been a great release valve for LeBron James, while the Heat also managed to steal away Ray Allen from the rival Boston Celtics, something that is still a sensitive subject for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo to this day. Allen hits a pair of 3-pointers and the Heat are up 27-23 early in the 2nd quarter. The Heat end up pushing the lead to 38-31, but the Spurs are trying to change the game a little bit. Duncan goes to work in the post and quickly, Birdman picks up two fouls and has to go to the bench.

To add some 3-point shooting to the floor, the Spurs have added Matt Bonner and Gary Neal into the fray. But the Heat still lead, even as LeBron watches from the bench, with Wade and *checks notes* Norris Cole making incredible drives to the rim. After the Cole layup, Pop has seen enough and calls for a timeout. By halftime, the Spurs cut the lead to 54-49 and are still firmly in this game.

The game would assume a nip-and-tuck rhythm for the next quarter. With just under 40 seconds left in the third quarter, Ray Allen hits a wide-open 3-point from the right corner on the hoop by the Heat bench. That spot would prove to be even more important later on in the series. However, Miami has been unable to extend their lead at all during the quarter as the Spurs have had an answer for most of their questions, with the Spurs scoring to make it 75-72 after 3. And both teams are playing small ball in the fourth quarter, with Bosh and Duncan as the only two big men. Then an offensive rebound by Leonard gives the Spurs their first lead of the second half at 79-78.

Meanwhile, LeBron is working on a 12 point, 13 rebounds and 10 assist triple-double, but he’s not delivering the scoring they need from him so far in this game. And then he gets lazy with an entry pass, which is snatched by Leonard’s baseball mitt hands, leading to a Parker basket and a timeout at 81-78 San Antonio. LeBron started the last Finals series with back-to-back 30-point outings, but in this game, he’s been probing and settling more than usual in terms of his own shot. His defense has been excellent and he’s created a ton of high-quality looks, but the Heat have built the lead because LeBron is creating quality looks for others, not necessarily many for himself. Also, the Heat have struggled at the foul-line all game long, leaving several points on the floor. The Spurs have also been smart about not fouling LeBron, limiting him to just two free-throw attempts until the final minutes of the game.

A Duncan basket gets it to 83-79 Spurs and then the Heat turns it over again, looking awful like one of their 2011 droughts rather than the well-oiled machine we saw in 2012. They’re falling apart. Another turnover by the Heat. They had led most of the game, but turnovers are giving the game to San Antonio. After having four turnovers in the first three quarters, Miami racked up four in the 4th quarter alone. 

Luckily for the Heat, LeBron has a great defensive rotation to get a piece of Duncan’s hook shot to keep the Spurs lead at 4. However, the possession comes up empty again as the Spurs defense has been impeccable in the fourth quarter.  Then Parker hits a midrange step-back to make it 85-79 and Tracy McGrady, who is just here for the laughs, comes over to hype Parker up. After controlling the whole game, the Heat are back on their heels.

A LeBron offensive rebound lead to a bucket out of the timeout and the Heat have now put LeBron on Parker and have taken Chalmers out of the game, who has been a disaster in this 4th quarter with a couple of loose balls and a 3-pointer that hit the side of the backboard. However, the Heat’s best laid plans are once again spoiled by San Antonio’s shot-making, as the Spurs get a triple from Danny Green, pushing the lead to 88-81 with under DOS MINUTOS.

Now, LeBron punches the gas a little bit more. LeBron gets a driving layup in transition and then finds Ray Allen above the 3-point line, who is fouled by Danny Green. Allen, arguably the best shooter ever, then makes all three of the free-throws. A 5-0 run makes it a 2-point game again, but Tim Duncan then makes two free throws, setting up another must-score possession for Miami, something they haven’t done well in the 4th quarter. Bosh misses a 3-pointer above the break that he was wide-open for and the Spurs now have the ball and a four-point lead with a minute to go.

Mike Miller gets the duty of guarding Parker on a switch, the smart play by San Antonio, but Miller does a great job for a guy with a bad back and gets a hand right in his face. Then LeBron gets to the free-throw line, just his third and fourth attempts of the game, and makes both in a clutch moment to make it a 2-point game.

But then just as he did in 2007, Tony Parker steals the spotlight from LeBron’s team. Parker in scramble, gets on his knee, does a little Curly Neal spin move, and somehow gets the shot to go under LeBron who jumps too early on the shot attempt to put the Spurs up 4 again with 5.2 seconds left. The Heat will get the ball back, but that’s game. They review the play that was as close as could be to a shot-clock violation, but Parker got the ball JUST off his fingertips to make the momentous shot. LeBron, five years after Parker terrorized his Cavs team, will have to wait for a few more nights to get his first Finals W against the Spurs.

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Colts brought in Ray Allen as a motivational speaker

Colts had a legendary guest speaker last week.

Even during the times of isolation, the Indianapolis Colts are doing everything they can to better the team and prepare the entire roster for what is ahead in the 2020 season.

Though they are all separated in their respective homes, the Colts brought in legendary NBA shooting guard Ray Allen to speak to the team. Getting the perspective of a legend from another sport can sometimes help, and a few Colts talked about what Allen touched on during the call.

“Talking to him, the only advice he could give me on being a young guy and having to talk to other men who are way older than you, the only thing you can do is continue to do what you can do and that is go out and show that you are a leader,” said linebacker Darius Leonard. “Go out and play as if you are a leader and the rest of it will fall into place.”

The Colts have built a certain culture in the locker room. One that preaches accountability and leadership throughout the roster. Some voices may hold more weight than others, but the culture being built is one of the primary focuses of the front office.

Leonard, who is one of the defense’s leaders both in his play and his vocal motivation, enters a big Year 3 where he can truly take the next step into the elite category of linebackers.

But Allen’s message also resonated with a veteran leader who likes to blend into the crowd. Tight end Jack Doyle won’t have the team wanting to run through a brick wall with a rousing speech. Instead, he prefers to lead by example.

“Just hearing him talk about what he went through, his daily routine and the importance of routine in his daily life,” Doyle said. “I really appreciated that because I am a very routine person myself so it was very cool to hear what his day was like and I really enjoyed that talk. He gave us some really great insight.”

It isn’t clear when the Colts will be able to get back together on the field again, but they are still trying to build the culture in the locker room a certain way.

New Game of Zones short features several former Boston Celtics players

Three former Boston Celtics make cameos in the new Game of Zones animated short.

By now, many of you have likely already seen the new “Game of Zones” animated short from Bleacher Report, the first of the seventh and what is supposedly the final season of the “Game of Thrones” NBA parody that has taken on a life of its own.

It seems winter is finally coming for this world, an apropos plague threatening the bedrock of NBA civilization, held back by the valiant efforts of a handful of vigilant members of the press corps and former NBA players turned color commentators.

Early in the short, for Celtics big man Shaquille O’Neal makes a cameo as a gatekeeper of sorts, giving Dwyane Wade some crap as he transitions from a player to media member.

There’s even some nuggets in there about the Wade-Paul Pierce Twitter debate raging a few months back that is made even better with a cameo from the Truth himself — in a most appropriate role for his nickname.

The vehicle of choice is also ideal.

Near the end, Jesus even makes an appearance — Shuttlesworth, that is; UConn product Ray Allen (or his likeness) appears as the God of Range.

It’s an excellent start to a joke that has somehow lived on to the point of becoming an NBA tradition, and a nice escape from our own siege of sorts in the form of the pandemic — give it a watch if you haven’t already.

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Ex-Celtic Tony Allen ‘understands both sides’ in Ray Allen exit beef

Former Boston Celtic reserve guard Tony Allen says he understands both sides to the painful exit of Ray Allen that still plagues the 2008 title.

While former Boston Celtic guard Tony Allen might not have been a key part of the rotation during his tenure in Boston, he also wasn’t exactly a scrub.

His defense even then an important tool in the Celtics’ overall toolkit, he carved out a role for himself among some of the biggest names in the sport.

And when that brotherhood of ‘Ubuntu’ — a Bantu term that means “I am because you are” that became the calling card of the Banner 17 Celtics — fell apart with the departure of shooting guard Ray Allen to the Miami Heat in free agency, it caused a rift that even now has not fully healed.

Allen’s position outside the “Big Three” gave him the perspective to see things from the UConn product’s point of view as well as the rest of the team, which he shared in a recent interview with ex-Celtic Cedric Maxwell that touched on this sad mark on Celtics history.

“What I can say is you dealing with two big personalities [In Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett], man, and Ray Allen,” offered the Grindfather.

“He might not be that loud and obnoxious type, all over the place [who] demands that intensity. Ray is just that the alpha male in a more quieter way, you get what I’m saying?”

Allen was always a leader-by-example, even in his days at the University of Connecticut. And even when his leadership flexed on the court, it was somehow still reserved — an icy counter to the fiery KG and flamboyant Pierce.

“He demands respect. I’m saying so it’s just two types [that] clash,” continued Allen, “but when I was around, I thought those guys specifically took holding each other accountable and having a level of respect for each other to an all time high.”

It’s no secret these strong personalities clashed, even to the point of fighting. But they always managed to refocus in their shared goal of winning and putting the team first — until, of course, that ended.

“And I don’t know what happened,” continued Allen, referring to the slow decline egged on by injury and the hurt feelings brought into place with the former Husky finding his role reduced and his contract dangled in trade talks.

“I don’t know what happened but for Ray Allen to just be alone and leave, y’all heard the rumors … for me to on the outside looking in,” he added. “I just feel like Ray probably felt disrespected in some type of way.”

“We used to throw this word around — Ubuntu — in his situation, he probably didn’t feel that Ubuntu part, you get what I’m saying? He didn’t probably feel that a little; he probably felt something different, and when situations go like that. I just believe every man is entitled to whatever you want to do.”

“I understand both sides,” finished Allen. “Some guys felt he should have hollered at them before he left, but we all know how tricky this business is.”

While Pierce has mended fences with his former teammate, Garnett has yet to allow that water to pass underneath his particular bridge.

With his impending induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and jersey retirement looming, we may be seeing the last, best chance for this rift to be healed.

And while many fans would like this last wart on an otherwise glorious era of Celtics history put to bed, only Garnett can make that decision.

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A look back at Ray Allen, the ultimate scoring sharpshooter

Hall of Fame guard Ray Allen had one of the prettiest shooting strokes you’ll ever see.

Ray Allen has one of the cleanest releases in NBA history. He always jumped in the air the same, and the ball flicked off his fingers with ease as it journeyed to the rim.

Allen had the perfect jumper, and because of it, he had one of the best careers a hooper could imagine.

A two-time champion and Hall of Famer, Allen made one of the best clutch shots in league history. Flash back to Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals: The Miami Heat are down 95-92 with under 20 seconds left in regulation against the San Antonio Spurs.

As LeBron James missed a 3-pointer, Chris Bosh got the rebound.Bosh found Allen, who had hustled back to the 3-point line.

Allen’s ability to know where the 3-point line was and not step out of bounds is a testament to his basketball IQ. He could have even had a toe on the line, but because of his practice and reps, he got where he needed to be.

The shot was as clean as any Allen made throughout his career — only this one was the biggest and most important. The game went into overtime, and the Heat went on to win the game and the series.

Though he ended his career in Miami, Allen spent a good chunk of time with the Seattle SuperSonics. He was traded to the franchise from the Milwaukee Bucks in the middle of the 2002-03 season. The bulk of his best statistical years were in Seattle, averaging 24.6 points per game during his tenure with the team.

A 10-time All-Star, Allen had his best season scoring-wise during the 2006-07 campaign, his last with the Sonics before he was traded to the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2007.

That season, Allen scored a career-high 26.4 points per game and ranked sixth in the league for the category. He also shot 37.2% from the 3-point line.

Allen is one of the SuperSonics’ best players ever. According to Basketball Reference, he ranks fifth in 3-point field goals (869) in SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder history.

He also has the fourth-highest career points per game average in franchise history, right behind Kevin Durant, Paul George and Spencer Haywood.

When Allen played with the Celtics, he gave more meaning to his storied career. He helped bring in the Big 3 era with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.

The trio led the Celtics to the title in 2008, earning the franchise’s first since 1986. During that championship season, Allen was third on the Celtics in points per game (17.4) and second in 3-point percentage (39.8%).

As one of the best shooters ever, Allen holds the title of the NBA’s 3-point champion — that is, until Steph Curry eventually catches up. But for now, Allen ranks first all-time in 3-point field goals (2,973).

That jumper took Allen places, but his scoring prowess elevated him into the league’s upper echelon of all-time greats. A member of the 20,000-point club, Allen finished his career with 24,505 points.

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Breaking down who would win between Heat Big 3 and peak Warriors

A playoff series between the Miami Heat’s Big 3 and the Golden State Warriors at their peak would have been great to see.

The Golden State Warriors are the best team of the 2010s, winning three championships in the decade.

But the Warriors would have some competition against the Miami Heat, a team that peaked just a few years before they took off.

Heat legend Dwyane Wade hopped on Instagram Live with Steph Curry on Friday night, and he asked Curry which team would win: the Heat’s Big 3 or the Warriors at their peak?

Curry said the two could settle everything out on NBA 2K, but Wade laughed and said he isn’t good at the game. Still, with the two team’s peaks only around four years apart, it’s a hypothetical matchup that could have been relatively feasible if the Heat had a longer run.

Offense: Warriors 

The Warriors have revolutionized offense, with Curry and Klay Thompson being the sharpshooters for a team that heavily utilizes off-ball actions and misdirection.

At their peak, the Warriors screened teams into oblivion, and with Kevin Durant in the picture, they were basically impossible to guard.

Though they boast great shooters, the Warriors have never relied on shooting from deep — that’s why their best teams had the most productive offenses in league history. They were unpredictable, while still having the threat of elite shooting.

When they won the title in 2017, the Warriors ranked fifth that regular season in 3-point attempts per game (31.2). When they won a second straight championship in 2018, the Warriors ranked 17th in 3-point attempts (28.9).

Golden State’s motion offense has been filled with position-less lineups, but what’s interesting is that the Miami Heat’s offense was the predecessor for the Warriors’ success.

The Heat were pioneers when it came to showing how small-ball lineups could work in certain situations. That was when LeBron James began playing more power forward, working in the post against smaller defenders.

James had multiple shooters to pass out to if necessary, with Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen being viable options.

Like the Warriors, the Heat were also good at controlling pace. James and Wade were crucial for that, with Wade’s slashing and scoring ability being the perfect complement to James’ passing skills.

The Heat’s offense was effective, but the Warriors get the edge here. No team in NBA history has put on an offensive clinic quite like Golden State has.

Defense: Even

The Heat’s defense was smothering at its peak, and their blitzing would be the main reason they could hang with the Warriors.

The only chance any team had against the Durant-era Warriors was to apply pressure on the perimeter, while also having enough rim protection to cover any backside options.

The Heat had both during their run, with players like Wade, Battier, James and Norris Cole helping suffocate the perimeter.

Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen anchored the defense in the interior, with the big men being No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in blocks per game during the team’s 2013 title season.

Miami’s ability to go small would be crucial as well. Teams need to be able to switch on the perimeter to guard Golden State, and the Heat’s athleticism and quickness would allow them to defend the pick-and-roll and keep the Warriors in front of them.

Though the Heat’s defense was elite, the Warriors boasted just as good a defense at the height of their powers.

Much like the Heat, the Warriors regularly had the perimeter on lockdown, with Thompson and Andre Iguodala leading the top of the defense. The Warriors ranked first in steals per game (9.6) during their 2017 title season.

Draymond Green has always been an important fixture of the offense, with his quality facilitating and screen setting being his best attributes. But he is also a significant presence for the Warriors’ defense, and his ability to play center has helped unlocked their positionless lineups.

The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, Green is one of the best help defenders of all time, as his basketball IQ helps him be in the right place at the right time.

He can guard any position, and the Warriors would be able to contain the dynamic duo of Wade and James.

Prediction: Warriors would win, but the series would go the distance

With both defenses being great, it’s hard to put one over the other. That end of the floor would be tightly contested, and whether Miami could score enough points would be the difference.

During their 2013 title season, the Heat averaged 102.9 points per game and shot 39.6% from deep. During their 2017 championship season, the Warriors averaged 115.9 points per game and shot 38.3% from the 3-point line.

It’s difficult to see the Heat being better offensively than Golden State, though.

With a Hall of Fame-level offense, the Warriors would win, but it would be a close series because of the Heat’s stifling defense.

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Celtics Wire evening trivia, April 19: Banner 17 and the 2000s

The 2000s were a much-needed return to excellence for the Boston Celtics, but it didn’t happen overnight; how much do you remember of this era?

After living through the 1990s, Boston Celtics fans were ready for a return to glory. And they started seeing signs of a move back towards competency if not contention in the first half of the decade, but it ultimately fell short.

The team chose to retool while there was still gas in forward Paul Pierce’s tank, but the medicine nearly killed the patient, with the Truth nearly losing patience with the process as former Celtic shooting guard Danny Ainge was brought on early in the decade to right the ship.

Risks were taken that panned out for a change, and by the summer of 2007 the plan that brought Boston its 17th banner was underway. The arrival of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen put the Celtics back on track after an unusually long time on the rocks, and set Boston on the path it still follows today.

How much do you remember about the end of the longest championship drought in franchise history — and the years just before and after it? Take tonight’s weekly trivia challenge, and find out.

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How much did Michael Jordan outscore fellow NBA legends in their matchups?

Even if not the top scorer in NBA history, Michael Jordan is probably the best scorer we’ve seen on a basketball court. It was not very often that an opponent (or a teammate) put more points on the board than him. Actually, only one player outscored …

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Even if not the top scorer in NBA history, Michael Jordan is probably the best scorer we’ve seen on a basketball court. It was not very often that an opponent (or a teammate) put more points on the board than him.

Actually, only one player outscored MJ in their matchups during his Chicago years. And then he did it again when His Airness was a member of the Wizards…

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Ray Allen speaks on Kevin Garnett’s Hall of Fame induction, their rift

Former Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen recently spoke with Cedric Maxwell on the latter’s podcast about Banner 17, KG’s Hall of Fame induction and more.

Former Boston Celtic shooting guard Ray Allen recently appeared on the Cedric Maxwell Podcast — hosted by the eponymous former Celtic forward on the CLNS media network — to talk everything from the pandemic to ex-teammate’s Kevin Garnett’s Hall of Fame nomination.

Allen, who left Boston in free agency in the summer of 2012 after feeling under-appreciated as a core member of the Celtics’ title-hunting roster, has had a fraught relationship with his teammates since — which of course also came up in light of KG’s ascension to the Hall of Fame.

For the UConn product, taking a backseat to Garnett and Paul Pierce was never a problem. “I never did or play the game for pat on the back,” said Allen. It was all about myself and how I felt about you know, me doing my job and you know, being here and being able be counted on.”

Like KG, the former Husky didn’t realize how far his former teams were from winning a championship until joining the Celtics changed his perspective.

” I didn’t realize that until I went to Boston because I saw what it was like and what it was to be on a championship team even though we hadn’t won yet, the habits of all the guys that that I played with,” said Allen.

“[Garnett], he was starving, you know, he had been so disappointed in being in Minnesota [on the Timberwolves], and his work ethic was very similar to mine, like he knew. He felt like he wasn’t good enough so he had to go in every day and work or else he wouldn’t be able to do what he needed to do. “

Pierce, on the other hand, took a little time to buy in according to Allen — but he did; “Paul would always talk trash about things that I was doing, but then you would always see he would gradually start doing them.”

“I think for most of his career, he was around younger players that didn’t give him the ability to see what it is to be successful,” added the South Carolinian. “So he was the one that was setting the tone.”

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As for a reunion at Garnett’s Hall of Fame induction, “It would take Kevin and I to have a conversation moving forward,” offered Allen.

“When I left, I left as a free agent … because there were so many unresolved issues that the team wasn’t considering or willing to change [for me] as a free agent … the team is going to do things they need to do and so on … I’ve gotten so much hate death threats, vitriol from from Boston fans … these guys have kind of removed me from the Big Three, said so many negative things about me and I haven’t had one negative thing to say about any of them.”

“We can talk about things that we went through; we’ve had tough times, we’re brothers, we went through a lot — but that doesn’t change anything that we’ve done.”

At one point, the conversation turned to his time in Miami, and specifically the massive shot he made to hand the Heat the title in 2013.

Asked about the Miami fns who’d already left the building as that fanbase has a reputation for doing, Allen replied, “that’s an indictment on the culture, the Miami culture, because they are still a young franchise, unlike Boston where you have generations of fans.

“You think about going back to the fifties and people who watched [Bill] Russell and [Bob] Cousy play, so it’s indoctrinated into your to your family — so you grew up in it and you’re watching it and you watch championship basketball … span the generations and you watched it forever.”

Whether or not Allen himself ever sees his jersey in the rafters is an open question — and for many, still an open wound.

Garnett’s induction might be the last opportunity to heal the longstanding rift between the 2008 title team, should enough time to have passed for that to even be a possibility.

With so much uncertainty in the world at the moment, it would be some welcome closure for near-decade-old row to finally come to an end — but that is for the players to decide — and no one else.

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Ray Allen invites LeBron and others NBA legends to hairline challenge

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was invited by his former Heat teammate Ray Allen to show us his quarantine hair.

The boredom of the quarantine period is getting to all of us, even those of us who are famously quiet and keep out of the public eye. NBA legend Ray Allen is one of those, someone who will rarely show up on television or do interviews these days, but has popped up during the quarantine with a challenge for some of his fellow NBA players, including LeBron James, to grow out their respective hairlines and post them.

Allen bared all for his fans and then he’s challenged his friends, including LeBron who has dealt with his hairline in various ways over the years, to bare all as well.

View this post on Instagram

I wasn't gonna post this but two tears in a bucket! This is where I'm at with it. Lol So I'm gonna ride #myJefferson out until the "Rona" kicks rocks! For those of you that don’t know I have cut my own hair my whole life so it’s been hard not to put the clippers to it but when I look back at these pics I will remember the Rona! Lol Fish don't fry in the kitchen, beans don't burn on the grill, took a whole lotta tryin, just to get up that hill, now we're up in the big leagues, getting our turn at bat, as long as we live, it's you and me baby, there ain't nothing wrong with that"! I nominate all my bald or going bald brothers to let it grow out, y’all know who you are! Lol. #pulluptothescenewitmyceilinmissin #shoutouttothefivehead #movinonuptotheeastside #myjeffersonon @kingjames @richardajefferson @carroyo79 @ripcity3232 @mrcbooz @shaq @starburymarbury @dwilk3000 @jermaineoneal @therealchrisspencer #napsknotsandbeebeeshots #georgejeffersonchallenge #kickitray

A post shared by Ray Allen (@trayfour) on

Everyone is a little down right now without the ability to leave their homes, so props to Allen for finding a little comedy in the aging of his hairline. While LeBron’s hairline has looked mostly intact this season, his beard is reaching mythic levels if you take a look at his Instagram page.

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